Masquerade
by MunlytAngel01
Summary: Raiha just died and Fuuko went to Hiroshima to recover... five years later she came back, but did she really recovered, or is she just putting up a mask... who would anveil the mask and will she be able to love again? KFT... not goo with summary... sorry
1. Prologue

**Author's notes:**

My first FoR fic…. I do hope you guys like it…. So…. Here goes….

Oh and by the way, I don't own FoR… I'm not that lucky to have the privilege to own it….

* * *

Have you ever been to a masquerade? A fun party wherein everyone would be hiding behind a mask with a big smile on it? Sometimes, everyday life becomes a long masquerade party wherein you just hide your real emotions behind a smile just to let other people see that you're okay and that you could pull through whatever pinch you are in. Most of the times, the day would end with you getting away with your façade but at times, someone would just see right through your mask and you would realize that the masquerade isn't fun anymore.**

* * *

Prologue:**

_It's so hard… to lose the one you love…_

_To finally have to say… good-bye…_

_Now it's time for me to find my happiness again…_

_I have to escape… to forget…_

* * *

A clash of thunder clapped across the sky as the rain continued to pour down heavily and wet the cold grass around her. Only the protection of a small umbrella held by Recca prevented both of them from getting wet.

"Fuuko we have to go." Recca said while gently placing a hand on her shoulders, hoping that somehow, his voice reached her and would wake her from her reverie. "Yanagi and the others are already in the van and they're waiting for us already."

Fuuko heard the unspoken concern in Recca's voice but she couldn't will herself to move and go to where the others are waiting for her. All she could do was to stare at the mound of earth in front of her where the very first man who learned to appreciate her was now buried six feet under. All her hopes and all her happiness seemed to have been drained from her and went with him under that mound of earth. Gone now was the cheerful Fuuko who always had a smile on her face to offer everyone. She seems to have been buried together with the man who made her smile.

_Why did you leave me?_

_You promised to be always there, remember?_

_I miss you already. . ._

"Fuuko?" Recca uttered once again while gently tugging at her shoulders and hoping to wake his friend from the trance she was currently in.

The sound of Recca's voice broke her line of thoughts and woke her up from her reverie. But it didn't do much help to ease the pain she was feeling.

"You can go now Recca." Her voice sound distant and soft. She seemed to have suddenly forgotten how to speak, or maybe it was because of the lump in her throat that she couldn't utter anything more to say.

"But if I leave, you'll get wet. You might—" Recca protested, growing more and more concern about her welfare.

"It's okay. I still want to stay here. I want to be with him. . ." she said, unable to continue and trying her very best to control the tears that were bound to cascade down her cheeks once again. "for the very last time. . ."

A long paused followed after that caused by Recca's hesitation to leave his friend like she requested and Fuuko's need for silence and privacy during this heart-rending moment for her. This time, however, it was Fuuko who broke it and addressed her friend standing behind her.

"It is okay, Recca. I just want to be alone right now. Don't worry, I'll go home in just a few minutes." She whispered, trying her very best to sound okay and to assure her friend that she will be alright in time.

"Well then, at least take this umbrella with you…" Recca offered the umbrella to her to at least provide her some shelter.

"No… it's okay… I don't want it… just let me be… please…" Fuuko choked on the words she was trying to say.

Recca hesitated at first but when he heard the desperate plea in her voice, he gave up and left her standing alone in the rain. He recognized the façade she was trying to pull up just to assure him that she will be okay but he knew that it will take a long time before she can pull herself together once again. Not when he, himself, became a soul witness to the growing relationship she had with the man lying under the ground in front of her. He had never seen her offer so much and never that happy and content with someone until she had him. And now that he's gone, his friend might have a hard time recovering from her state.

After a few minutes of being alone, she couldn't help but reminisce the times they have together and the happiness that they shared. Recalling all these only made a new wave of tears to form in her eyes and drop down her cheeks, merging with the raindrops dripping from her hair. It was only when she heard the van with Recca and the rest of the gang was in sped away that she let herself fall down to the ground and gave in to the weakness that was eating up her soul. It was only then that she hugged herself and cried, wishing and hoping that somehow, her tears will bring him back. A desperate plea, she knows, but it's all that she could do to find comfort that her friends could not offer her.

_Why did you leave me?_

_I miss you already..._

_I miss you so much…_

_Raiha…_

* * *

Half-hidden behind a tree a few meters away from Fuuko's place stood a man with an umbrella in hand, watching her shoulders shiver from wrecked sobs and cold. He wanted to go to her and offer her comfort but how could he when he was known for being cold himself? How could he go to her when he knows that she's crying her heart out for a man she deeply cared for, or perhaps, more than that, even? How could he comfort her when he, himself was suffering, seeing her cry like that while knowing that he can't do anything to make the tears subside? How could he give comfort when all he ever felt was pain, knowing that her heart belonged to the man lying under the ground and left her broken?

_Fuuko…_

Knowing that he couldn't do anything for her anymore, he slowly turned around and walked away, wishing that somehow, someway, she would be able to recover and learn to love again. When that day comes, maybe then, he would have a chance…

He was already a good distance away when a figure from the shadows emerged near the tree he was concealed a while ago and it looked at his back while he dragged himself from the place.

* * *

"You shouldn't have left her there Recca!" Domon shouted at the forlorn form of Recca sitting on the sofa in Fuuko's apartment. "Now where in the bloody hell are we going to look for her! It's been two hours already since we left her there and she still isn't here! What if—"

"Will you fucking shut up!" Recca screamed on top of his lungs, gripping Domon by the collar and glaring at him face to face.

Domon, who seemed to have not been affected by the way Recca was glaring at him, returned the glare and held Recca by the collar too.

Yanagi, Ganko and Koganei both stood up from the seats and became alert of what was bound to happen between the two people who seem to care for Fuuko the most. One was because she is his childhood friend and closest comrade, the other, because of the devotion and respect he have for her.

"You don't know how it feels to see her so lost like that! You don't know how it feels to want to stay with her to comfort her then she suddenly turns to you and asks you to leave because she wants to be alone!" Recca shouted back at Domon, telling him his own agony in wanting to comfort Fuuko but couldn't do anything because she wouldn't let him do so.

"Recca, Domon, please stop that!" Yanagi pleaded while putting a gentle arm on their shoulders.

Just then, the doors of her apartment opened and revealed a very soaked Fuuko to them. For a whole minute, they just stood there, waiting for anything that Fuuko will say or do until such time that she seems to be falling slowly to the ground.

"Fuuko!" everyone shouted, rushing up to her and trying to prevent her fall.

Recca was the fastest among them and immediately caught Fuuko before she hit the floor.

"Fuuko!" he called out while placing a hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. "She's burning with fever!" he announced to the other occupants of the room concerned about her welfare.

The moment he did, he quickly lifted her from the floor and carried her upstairs while Yanagi went to the kitchen to get some water for her friend. It's a pity though, that she couldn't heal anymore. If she could, then the fever would have left her friend the moment she placed her hand on her.

_But I know that even if I still have my powers, I still wouldn't be able to take the pain in your heart._ She thought while carrying the basin of water to Fuuko's room.

* * *

Tokiya arrived at Fuuko's apartment an hour after Yanagi called him and told him about Fuuko's case.

"Mikagami-sempai." Yanagi acknowledged his presence the moment he entered the apartment.

He nodded at her greeting and observed the other occupants of the room.

Recca was sitting beside Yanagi and looking so down cast and worried while Domon was at the other sofa looking the same. Kaoru and Ganko were both sharing a mat laid on the floor and were soundly asleep but he can still see traces of worry and concern in their little faces for Fuuko.

"You look tired, Yanagi-san." He said when he noticed the marks of stress across her face.

"Fuuko needs us now." Yanagi answered him, her eyes showing that she was again in the verge of crying.

"I understand your desire to help her but you also have to rest." He said, turning to Recca and voicing out his concern for Yanagi. "I suggest that you tell her to rest Hanabishi then you and Ishijima should do the same. You all look in the verge of following Fuuko to bed."

"But what about Fuuko?" Domon protested, willing to fight his stress just to know that his friend will be taken care of.

"I'll look over her, if that's what you're worrying about. After an hour or so you can resume taking care of her."

Yanagi thoughtfully looked at Tokiya. Despite of his reputation of being cold and uncaring like other think he is, he could be nice by his own ways to them, although he would rather die than admit it even to himself.

_Mikagami-sempai does care for us, although he doesn't show it that often._

Reluctantly, they settled themselves in a comfortable position on the sofas and closed their eyes to rest their body and wear out the fatigue that was eating them.

Seeing them settled in the living room, Tokiya slowly approached the only room upstairs where Fuuko was currently resting. He opened the door and found her panting heavily on the bed, the towel on her forehead had now dropped the side of her head and the blankets that was once covering her up to the chin was curled below her waist. Sweat continued to drench the night clothes she was in and made some strands of her hair to stick on her face.

Seeing the current state she was in, he quickly approached her bed and pulled the blankets to her chin. Then, he took the towel beside her head and soaked it in the cold basin of water placed on the side table. After squeezing the excess amount of water, he gently placed it back on her forehead. For a whole minute he just sat there at the side of her bed, staring at her face and noticing the emotions written all over it now that she was unconscious to mask them. Then, without thinking, he found his fingers working its way up to the side of her cheeks to brush the strands of hair from it. When he realized what he just did, his hand froze over her cheeks and he looked stunned at the moment.

_What just happened back there?_ His mind questioned.

Before his mind could even think of a rational explanation for his actions, the door slowly opened and revealed to him Kagero.

Quickly composing himself, he stood up from the bed and turned around to face Kagero.

"How is she?" Kagero questioned, lowering her voice so as not to disturb the sleeping woman lying on the bed.

"Not good." He briefly replied, shaking his head slowly from side to side to indicate Fuuko's worsened state.

He watched as the immortal woman's eyes softened as she approached the bed where the former Fuujin wielder laid. He saw her gently caressing the tousled bangs on her forehead while the other hand went to touch her cheeks. He saw the softness of her gestures; like a mother would do to her sick child and he can't help but remember the way Mifuyu cared for him when he was sick.

Quickly dismissing the thought of his late sister, he focused his attention to the woman sitting at the edge of the bed and giving comforting gestures to Fuuko. It was as if the woman was trying her best to ease her pain with her touch but he knew that no matter what they do, they won't be able to take away her pain just like the way his own pain remains in his heart.

"Only Raiha could take away her pain." Kagero whispered in a low voice to avoid waking Fuuko up but still loud enough for the other conscious occupant of the room to hear. "And for the past two years, I was thinking that everything will be alright, now that Recca and Kurei are living under the same roof and putting aside what happened in the past and Uruha and Hokage surprisingly became close to each other."

He remained silent leaving the older lady to ponder whether he was affirming or opposing what she had just said.

"It will take a very long time before we see the Fuuko we have come to know before… now that Raiha is gone." Kagero continued when she realized that she will not receive a response from her companion.

"She'll get over it." He said, knowing that the girl's character is not the type that could easily be swayed by things like this.

"But not easily. She lost someone very dear to her. She just lost someone who makes her smile and I fear that her smiles might be buried together with Raiha."

Tokiya contemplated at what Kagero had just said then shrug his shoulders and left the room. How could he comment on that one when he, himself, was guilty of doing the same things when his sister died? The only difference between him and Fuuko was that she had her friends to worry about her and care for her while he didn't have anyone before and the only man who showed compassion to him turned out to be the man who planned his sister's death.

* * *

"How is she?" a deep baritone voice echoed around an empty office.

"Not good. She's burning with fever as of the moment. Mikagami's looking after her."

"Do you need me there?"

"No… We're already making a huge crowd here. Besides, Fuuko's apartment is not that big to hold us all in here."

"If there's anything that I can do, call me."

"I will… Thanks Kurei-niichan… I'll see you then…"

"Okay…" he said, clicking his phone off and putting it beside his table.

With a deep sigh, he buried his head on his hands and stayed like that for a minute, pushing aside the sudden rush of emotions in his chest. Then he ran his hands on his hair and focused his gaze on the file of papers in front of his desk. He intends to go back to his work but after the funeral and hearing about Fuuko's current state, he had lost his concentration and was left hoping that he could be there with her.

* * *

Fuuko's eyelids fluttered open revealing dark blue pools that still mirrored the sadness she was feeling deep inside. When she looked around the room, she noticed Yanagi looking at her worriedly from her seat beside her bed.

"Yanagi." She acknowledged her presence, quickly trying to hide her worries so as not to make her worry so much.

Yanagi smiled softly at her, consciously aware that she was trying to sound fine and hiding whatever she was feeling. "How do you feel?" she softly asked although she wasn't sure whether it was an appropriate question to be thrown at her at the moment.

"A lot better than yesterday." She replied while her hand instinctively went to her head and gently massaged the part under her palm.

"You mean, a week ago." Yanagi corrected her, restraining herself from lashing out at her friend and scold her for the stupid thing she did a week ago. "You were sick for one week, drifting in and out of consciousness from time to time." She added when her friend gave her a confused look.

"I was asleep for one week?" Fuuko frowned. "That long?"

Yanagi only nodded in response but the restraint she was holding to keep her self from questioning Fuuko on a topic that might disappoint her broke and ended up raising her voice at her friend not from anger but from concern. "Just what were you thinking staying out under the rain like that! You really had us worried about you! It doesn't feel good to be seeing you like this! This isn't you, Fuuko!"

Fuuko lowered her head and received all the scolding she was getting from Yanagi. Besides, she couldn't bear to see her face almost at the verge of crying especially when she's the reason for that.

"For God's sake say something! Tell us how you feel! Let us help you Fuuko! Let us try to understand what you're feeling and stop doing stupid things that isn't you!" she said, completely losing her control and letting uncontrolled sobs rack her body.

Fuuko heard the sobs coming from her friend. Uneasily, she pushed herself into a sitting position and reached out for Yanagi to embrace her and stop the sobs from coming.

"I'm sorry Yanagi… I wasn't myself during that time…"she apologized, gently rubbing her back to soothe her.

"Why won't you let us help you, Fuuko?" Yanagi cried, muffled by the sobs coming from her.

Fuuko refused to answer, thinking that there was no way they could help her. It isn't as easy as they think it is. Losing someone important isn't as easy as it sound to be.

After a few minutes more, Yanagi finally subside, getting a hold of herself and composing herself before she pushed the chair she was sitting at looked down at her friend. "I'll go downstairs to get your breakfast." She informed her before turning around and leaving her alone.

Fuuko stared at her retreating back and thought about what she said earlier.

_If I was asleep for one week, then that means…_

She was not able to continue the thought that was going in her head. She was scared of the truth slamming onto her face and hurting her, making her want to cry again. And all the while, she thought that she could wake up from the nightmare she was in a week ago. Now that the truth was slowly sinking in, she could also feel the pain starting anew in her chest.

No. She couldn't go on like that forever. She has to escape. She need some time to herself. She needs to recover from what she just experienced and Tokyo was no place for her to recover. Not when all their memories lingered in the four corners of this place. She has to go someplace where she can think and recover from all the pain. She has to go some place where she could forget.

Turning her head to the side table beside her bed, she knowingly eyed the phone on top of it until an idea came to her mind. With trembling fingers, she reached for the phone and dialled the number of the airline that could take her far from all the memories.

* * *

"Are you serious?" Recca asked the girl half-lying on the bed and looking at them with unwavering eyes.

_She's dead serious alright. _He thought when his friend didn't comment or burst out laughing and telling them that they're so stupid to fall for that one. Not that somebody in the room expects her to suddenly burst out laughing, that is.

"For how long?" Yanagi asked, concerned that her friend's idea might not be good for her yet still willing to support her all the way.

"I don't know." Fuuko shrugged her shoulders. "Until I have fully recovered, I guess, or maybe until I can jump around and, you know, be Fuuko again." She chuckled at her lousy sense of humour.

Yanagi saw her futile attempt to lighten up the mood. She felt bad for her friend and she felt bad to herself for she can't do anything but reach out and hold her hand in hers.

"I'm okay Yanagi. You don't have to be that worried." Fuuko assured her friend.

"Well, you can't blame her neechan." Kaoru commented, putting his hands at the back of his head and tried to avoid the scene in front of him.

Ganko, this time, climbed up the bed and stayed there beside Fuuko, wrapping her arms around her waist and leaning her small head against her chest. "I'm going to miss you." She whispered, recalling the times they share on the very same bed, since Fuuko had adopted her and treated her like her own little sister. "I can stay with Yanagi-neechan until you come back again."

Fuuko smiled down at the blonde girl hugging her close and silently thanking her for being so understanding. It wasn't everyone in her age to understand the current situation she was in. Ordinary girls her age will definitely throw tantrums or ask too many questions that would take her the whole day just to answer them all.

"So when are you leaving?" Domon asked.

"The day after tomorrow." She answered briefly.

"That soon, eh?"

Fuuko was about to explain to Domon her need to escape immediately when she saw Tokiya turning around to leave the room. "Mi-chan, where are you going?"

Tokiya didn't bother to turn around while he answer the question he knew would come his way once they realize that he intends to leave. "Home." And with that, he gently closed the door behind him and left them gaping behind his back.

For a moment, everyone left in the room was silent until the blonde girl stood up on the bed and glared at the closed door. "Mou, that was really rude!" Ganko stated then stuck out her tongue towards the door's direction.

"Well, it is Tokiya-niichan we're talking about here." Kaoru shrugged.

"And besides, he might be tired. He was after all the one taking care of Fuuko most of the times." Yanagi defended Tokiya's actions.

Fuuko's eyebrows furrowed and looked at Yanagi with confusion and astonishment written all over her face. "He helped taking care of me?"

"Well, yes. He seems to be the only one who could stay up so late among us, unlike me, Recca and Domon, who get sleepy right after midnight." Yanagi explained.

Fuuko's gaze went back to the closed door a few steps in front of her and can't help but think about what Yanagi had just said. It was very unlike Tokiya to be helping them out in times like this but she always knew that he cares for them, even a little bit.

_So the ice is finally beginning to melt, right Mi-chan? _She can't help but think as a smile slowly made its way across her face.

Kagero's sharp eyes noticed the smile on her face and she can't help but wonder if Tokiya has anything to do with it. It was, after all, her first genuine smile after Raiha's demise. A different thought suddenly made its way up to her head but she seems to find the idea absurd so she dismissed it and placed it at the back of her head.

* * *

"So, I guess, this is it." Fuuko sighed as she flashed her friends a sad smile.

Everyone came to see her off at the airport. Recca, Domon, Kaoru, Ganko, Tokiya, Kagero, Yanagi and even Kurei came just to see her off. They probably need the assurance that she'll be okay and to make her feel that she will be missed so dearly.

"Take care of yourself Kirisawa-san." Joker said giving her one of his flashing grins.

Kurei, however, seems to have a very different way of saying good-bye to her. Instead of just saying good-bye, he even stepped closer to her to have a little private talk with her before leaving.

"I'll be waiting for your return. By that time…, I hope you're back to Fuuko." He said before wrapping his arms around her waist and engulfing her in a, surprisingly, tight embrace.

Fuuko let herself be comforted in Kurei's embrace. He, after all, became very close to her ever since the day both sides decided to set aside their feud and live peacefully. After a long minute, Kurei gently pushed himself away and looked at her for the last time before she leaves. Then, just like those times when he bid her good-bye, he softly brushed his lips againsts her cheeks and whispered something to her ear.

"I've always been jealous of Raiha because of you."

Before Fuuko could react on what he said, he already had his back on her and was walking slowly away from her, leaving her gaping at his back with her mouth slightly ajar from astonishment due to her friend's sudden change of behaviour and weird parting words.

"What's wrong Fuuko?" Recca asked when he noticed that Fuuko suddenly became quiet and shocked at the same time.

Fuuko recovered from her state and quickly brushed away what she had just heard. "Nothing."

"Well, the flight you're about to board just paged its passengers." Recca said, looking directly at Fuuko. "I'll see you, then." He said before giving her a quick hug then turned around to follow his brother and wait for the rest in the car.

Yanagi, Kaoru and Ganko were the next to hug her and Fuuko couldn't help but wonder when she would be able to do that again. When she drew back, she noticed the tears on Yanagi and Ganko's eyes while Kaoru had his head down, his bangs covering his eyes.

"Hey, you promised that there will be no crying." She reminded them about their agreement before they went to the airport this morning.

Yanagi hastily wiped the tears from her eyes but she couldn't help the new wave of tears from misting what she had dried a second ago. "Gomen Fuuko but I really can't help it. Hiroshima is just too far from Tokyo."

"Well at least it is still in Japan, right?" she softly said as she started wiping her friend's tears from her eyes and preventing her own to pool her cobalt eyes.

Then, turning to Ganko, she kneeled down in front of the sobbing girl, whose face was contorted in a very funny way just to keep her self from crying. Gently, she brushed a few tendrils of golden locks from her cheeks and the simple gesture she meant to soothe her just made her tears flow freely down her cheeks. In a moment, Fuuko was trapped in a very tight embrace as Ganko sobbed her heart out against her shoulders.

"Hush now… Please…" she tried to comfort her despite the tears that were also slowly cascading down her cheeks. "I promise I won't be long. Who knows? Before you know it, I'm back again and we will go to the ice cream parlour together and I'll give you a treat."

"I don't want ice cream! I want you neechan!" Ganko's sobs were muffled against her shoulders.

Fuuko wanted to soothe her, to stop her from crying but how could she when she, herself, can't stop herself from doing so. She tried to muffle her sobs, biting down on her lower lip just to prevent each racking cry to escape her lips.

Yanagi, sensing the difficulty that she was having, gently pried Ganko from her and lead her back to the car to prevent further flow of emotions during her departure.

Fuuko gently collected herself from the ground and turned towards the boarding entrance of her airline. The moment she did, instead of the glassy doorway she was expecting, she saw Tokiya standing there, his face devoid of any emotion the rest had just shown earlier.

_Well, it's Mi-chan we're talking about here…_

"I'll see you then, Mi-chan." Fuuko cordially said her good-bye to the ensui wielder.

Tokiya just stared at her without moving and Fuuko couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind. The next moment she knew, he was already walking towards her, yet with the intention of leaving and letting her pass through the entrance he was blocking.

"What? No good-byes?" she mocked him when he reached her side.

Tokiya turned his head to her direction and for the second time in a span of three minutes, poignant cobalt met with frosty baby blue. "You're a coward." He hissed softly then resumed walking without another glance.

He said it without a hint of anger or mockery yet those softly spoken words, barely a whisper, created so much impact on her that she was still thinking about it as the stewardess ushered her to her seat.

_Maybe I am…_

_But I can't help it…_

_I'm just not the same girl anymore without him…_

As the plane picked up speed along the runway, Fuuko looked outside the window to her left and watched as the scenery before her flash in a blur, just like the way her memories with Raiha flashed in her mind and becoming a blur. Slowly, the plane took off from the ground at the same time Fuuko closed her eyes and let a solitary tear rolled down her cheeks. It will be the last one, she promised her self. It will be the last one that she'll shed for Raiha.

_Gomen ne, Raiha…_

_But I have to leave…_

_To forget…_

_To be able to move on again…_

_I love you…_

_Good-bye…_

* * *

A/N: well, what do you think? Reviews are welcome, so are suggestions… but I do hope you don't flame me though… thanks!

oh and before i forget, the italizized words at the first part of the chapter was a line from a song entitled "When the Last Teardrop Falls" by blaque...


	2. Changes and Memories

**Author's notes:**

Well, here's the first chapter of my fic… after a long prologue that is… but still, I hope you guys like it, although it's a little long…

Disclaimer: I don't own flame of recca… and even in the next lifetime, I still can't own it… 

**Chapter 1: Changes and Memories**

_There are times it seems to me…_

_I'm sharing you with memories…_

_I feel it in my heart… but I don't show it…_

_-All or Nothing, by: o town_

_I'm too scared… so I tried my best to hide…_

* * *

5 years later…

"Good Morning, this is your captain speaking. We will be arriving in Tokyo in less than ten minutes. Please stay on your seats and fasten your seatbelts while we land."

The voice of the pilot brought Fuuko's attention from the book she was reading to the window beside her. Scrutinizing the view below her, she noticed the very familiar landscape of Tokyo looking as wonderful as ever like the way it is when she left it five years ago and went to Hiroshima. It looked much prettier at the moment of her arrival, though, for the lights of the structures in Tokyo adorned that wonderful night in summer.

A small smile swept across her face as she recalled the things that happened to her back in Hiroshima. When she reached Hiroshima, she buried herself in her studies and tired so hard to stop thinking about what happened. She attended Hiroshima University and took up architecture, busying herself with plates and structure plans and passing all her requirements with flying colours just a month ago. She then decided to go back to Tokyo and find a job where she could apply all she had learned for five long years.

Yet, the mere thought of going back to the place she escaped from five years ago brought a certain kind of fear back to her. She was scared, no, terrified, to go back for his memories might hunt her again. She had to admit that she wasn't successful with her aim when she left for she would go back, still not over his death that was holding her back. She was scared to forget and to move on at the same time. Yet, five long years taught her how to mask her feelings with a smile and practice on it until she became a master at that field. Everyday, she would be dealing with people that gave her the opportunity to practice her skills. After a few months, it became her defence mechanism and smiling became an involuntary thing for her to do when faced with people. But she still had her doubts, thinking that she might not be able to pull it off around her friends but she would soon find that out.

Thirty minutes later, she was outside the airport and looking for familiar faces that she hadn't seen for five long years. She searched the area but unfamiliar faces kept obscuring her view and she has to keep an eye on her luggage while scanning the crowd.

"Oi! Fuuko! Over here!" yelled a familiar voice in the middle of the crowd.

A smile slowly made its way to her face as she scanned the area for a certain spiky haired boy with the familiar orange cap and welcoming grin. Just to her left, a few feet away from her, she noticed a hand sticking amongst the crowd and frantically waving at her. Every second that pass brought the hand nearer to her. After a few more torturing second of excitement to see her childhood friend again, the crowd in front of her seemed to have finally moved aside and revealed him to her. Fuuko was surprised at what she saw when she was face to face with Recca once again.

Gone now was his long spiky hair, instead, it was cut short and framed his face perfectly like before. His usual jeans and shirt that he used to wear was replaced by an expensive looking suit, like those worn by executives and business men. Also, his usual childish aura was, surprisingly, replaced by a mature and more knowledgeable aura that he developed in just a span of five years.

"Recca?" she couldn't help but utter in surprise and still couldn't believe that the man standing before her was the same childish boy she left behind.

"Hey, who else? Don't tell me you've forgotten how your old pal looks like?" he answered her.

"No, of course not. It's just that… you look mature." She explained while eyeing him from head to toe then back again.

"Come on! Cut it out already and give me a big hug that I deserve after five long years of not being with us!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms wide open and inviting her to come into them.

Shaking her head at his comment, she practically threw herself into his arms while laughing and telling him how much she missed him and how sorry she was for not being there when the childish Recca changed into a real man.

_So far, so good…_

After a few minutes of being in that position and exchanging hugs, Recca put her down and helped her with her luggage. "Come now, the others are waiting at the parking area. It's just a few minutes walk from here." He said as he led her to the place where the others are waiting for her.

While taking their walk, Fuuko couldn't help but stare at Recca and note down the things that had changed about him, physically and even mentally and emotionally. He had changed a lot. Five years had made him into a man that would make everyone around him proud. Thinking how much Recca had change, she couldn't help but wonder if the others went through a big change like him. Her wonder was finally answered when she neared the van parked just a few more feet away from her as her eyes slowly noted the changes that happened to her friends when she was gone.

Yanagi's hair was longer now. Nothing much had changed in her. Fuuko could still sense the kindness that radiate from the former healer and, though she looks more mature now; she was still as beautiful as ever. She still looked like the same girl that made Recca fall down on his knees and worship her and protect her from danger.

Kaoru, the ever so childish Kaoru, was now a full grown teenager and without doubt capturing and breaking hearts like a bishounen should. He was also much taller and more mature yet despite the big changes, he still has his famous fangs showing even from the distance she was at.

Ganko was also a teenager now, promising beauty and elegance like a fine lady should. It was probably the effect of being with Yanagi for five years. Surely, Yanagi taught her the proper decorum that a girl should have.

When she and Recca stopped before them, tears instantly formed on the healer's eyes and Ganko couldn't help but be a little emotional too.

"Tadaima." Fuuko uttered, trying hard to fight her own emotions.

Yanagi, Ganko and Koganei all rushed up to her and enveloped her in a very tight embrace.

"Fuuko, we're so glad you're back." Yanagi commented as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I know. I'm glad to be back too." Turning to Ganko and Kaoru, "Look at you, two! You've change a lot! Too bad I wasn't there to monitor all the changes."

Ganko smiled at her sweetly as she, too started wiping the tears off her face. "You too, neechan. You've changed a lot these past five years."

"Ganko's right." Yanagi supported Ganko's comment. "You should look at yourself in front of a mirror and see who among us changed a lot."

Yanagi was right. If there was anyone who changed a lot after five long years, it was her. From the tomboyish brat who seems to know nothing aside from engaging in street fights, Fuuko had grown up into someone that nobody ever dreamed her to be. Her usual boyish cut and often ruffled hair was now arranged in a neat way, cascading down up to her shoulders. Her body curves became more prominent, giving her the perfect body image. The headband was also gone. Looking at the Fuuko before them made them feel that they have the old Fuuko back, thinking that five long years had finally made her recover from the painful things that happened to her at this very same place.

* * *

Fuuko sat on the sofa of her old apartment, resting her head on the back of the sofa and closing her eyes to let them rest as well. She had been to a welcoming party prepared for her by the Uruha and Hokage and she did nothing but tell them about her experiences when she was still in Hiroshima while sharing with them a few glasses of champagne. The party also gave her an idea on what the rest was up to during the time that she was gone.

According to the stories that they heartily shared her, Recca and Yanagi are already engaged for two years and planning on setting their wedding next spring. Yanagi, as expected, pursued her interest on education and was currently teaching on a local preschool while Recca was currently in business together with his brother Kurei. Kaoru and Ganko are still both in high school and both are doing good jobs with regards to their education. Domon engaged in wrestling and became very good at it that he eventually became famous. Too bad he wasn't there though because of the tour he has to attend until the end of the season. The good thing she heard about him from Joker was that he was already engaged to a girl he met during one of his tours two months ago. Kurei, the business man that he is, owns a big production company and was still currently single. Recca informed her that he has an emergency meeting this evening that's why he couldn't make it to the party. Tokiya, well, as expected, became a lawyer, a top lawyer, in Tokyo and currently owns a law firm, serving the most influential people in Japan. He has this case he was currently working on that will be given verdict tomorrow that's why he couldn't come. There are these preparations he has to make before the final trial. Not that he has to prepare for it big time. According to them, he never lost a case since he started his job, being the perfectionist that he is.

Everyone hasn't seemed to notice anything peculiar about her. They act as if the same Fuuko was back and for her, it was a good sign. As long as they don't notice anything, they won't have to ask questions and she wouldn't have to worry answering all of them. Though, she can't help but notice how they all moved on and had a happy life, promising more in the near future. It seemed that she was the only one who was still dwelling at what happened. Even Kurei, who was the closest friend of Raiha, seemed to have accepted his death already.

Tired and sleepy from the night's events and from the jet log she was still suffering from, Fuuko snuggled deeper onto the soft cushions of the sofa in her apartment and wrapped her arms around her. She closed her eyes waiting for sleep to come, but instead of sleep, memories of her and Raiha spending time on the very same coach and snuggled close to each other came hunting her again. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and stared at the darkness around her. Her gaze traced every point of the house and everywhere her gaze went, his memories flash in her mind. Without her knowing it, a solitary tear rolled down at the side of her head followed by another then another until such time that she was crying her heart out on the coach.

This time, there was nobody to kiss those tears away and wipe them off her cheeks. There would be no soothing words and gently hands stroking her back to comfort her. There would be no lips that muffle all the sobs from her mouth and there would be no one who will lie with her on that coach until she falls asleep. There would be no one because he was gone and left her broken.

_Raiha…_

_I'm sorry…_

_I know I promised before that I wouldn't cry anymore…_

_But I just couldn't help myself…_

* * *

Kurei listened to the idiotic arguments that the board members are engaging into for at least an hour and a half and he wasn't satisfied at the development they were having at all. In fact, there is no development in their discussion. They just kept on coming back to the spot where they started because the ideas of his board members don't correspond, even to their original plan. He doesn't even want to contribute in the discussion so he just leaned on his chair and rested his head on his arms, watching the stupid hand gestures his board are making to emphasize their point. He would have laughed, of course, at their stupidity but his mind was occupied by something else, or rather, someone else, a purple haired girl, to be exact.

Shifting his weight on his chair, his gaze went to the window of the meeting hall briefly observing the lights from the building opposite from theirs before his mind drifted again to someone he hadn't seen for five years.

He remembered the first time he saw her. He was watching their group's progress, to save Yanagi from the monitor room, when they reached the room where Ganko was assigned. She was able to defeat Ganko, of course, but instead of leaving the poor kid to ponder with her thoughts alone or punish her for nearly killing them, she kneeled down in front of the kid and embraced her, telling her words like a mother soothing her child would.

A small smile made its way across his face when he remembered the fight she had with Fujimaru. She was nearly stripped off by her clothing, leaving only her under garments to hide her essential parts but she showed him and the rest of the audience that she wasn't the kind of girl who would let somebody harass her and get away with it. Then came her fight with Gashakura. The electric fence that his father used against her nearly burned her back but she still smiled and managed to win the fight and Gashakura's respect as well. That's one thing that probably made her unique in her own way. She'd rather hide the pain she's feeling than make her friends worry.

When the Hokage and Uruha decided to call it quits, he had the chance to get to know her better. She was easily at ease with their presence and she acts around them like they were long time friends. They became close to each other, but as expected, she became closer to Raiha than anybody else. He respected their closeness, knowing that their madogous have something to do with it but their relationship suddenly became mutual and somehow, he didn't like it one bit. But he let her be, as long as she was smiling like nothing in the world could take that smile off her face. She was happy with Raiha… until he died and left her… broken…

"Kurei-sama…" his secretary's voice broke the line of thoughts going in his head.

He raised a questioning stare at his secretary, silently asking her what she needs. She gave him a knowing look instead and was glancing at the board members from time to time to tell him that they were already waiting for his opinion. He faced his board members, finding them staring at him, waiting for what he was about to say with regards to their topic.

"Sorry about that." He apologized immediately, checking his composure and re-arranging the files on his desk. "My mind drifted off somewhere. So, have you, gentlemen, agreed on a certain procedure that will increase our stock and serve the public at the same time?"

After his question, the hall once again erupted with unnecessary arguments and he found himself shaking his head and breathing out a sigh of frustration.

_Really now, if Fuuko was here, she would have shut the mouths of these people._

He couldn't help the thought from crossing his mind as he summoned his secretary and told her to take note of the discussion. He was determined to leave these men behind and let them be. He'll just study the things they discussed tomorrow when he comes back. It was enough for one day. He already missed the chance of being there at the airport and at the party when Fuuko arrived and he has no plan of spending the entire night listening to discussions that made him miss it.

* * *

He glanced at the clock hanging by the far wall across his office. It was already past midnight and if he could recall it correctly, Fuuko had arrived five hours ago from her long trip to forget the past.

Placing back the files he had been reading for about three hour non-stop already, he let out a deep sigh and leaned against his chair, gently massaging his temples and resting his tired eyes. The welcoming comfort of the massage he was doing to himself almost made him drowsy, reminding him that he had not taken a good rest since the trial for the case he was holding began.

_I should take a break after this… A week or perhaps a month would do me good._

After a minute more of relaxing his over fatigue body, he opened his eyes once again; ready to resume what he was doing, until his eyes landed on a frame located at the corner of his table. It was a picture of the Hokage, about seven years ago, when they won the UBS and they decided to have their pictures taken. Everything was very different back then. They were just high school teenagers who conquered the battles they faced in the tournament and was having their pictures taken as, according to Recca, a souvenir. After that, things started going back to normal. They went back to school, but instead of just going alone to school like he was used to, he was now accompanied by a loud banter that usually comes from Recca, Domon and Fuuko.

_Fuuko…_

Without thinking, his gaze was pasted on the cheerful but definitely annoying girl in the picture who has her arm around him. Seven years ago, she was the mirror of happiness, walking around the campus like nothing in the world could ever go wrong. Teachers kept scolding her and giving her detention, she always forgot her homework and she even barely pass her subjects but despite all this, she would walk around, head high, as if nothing's wrong. She would even force him to join their laughs sometimes but he wasn't as carefree as this girl so he couldn't laugh as carefree as her. She became more carefree when she and Raiha became a pair and she became more focused on her studies. Of course, she rarely had some time to spend with the rest of the gang but still she would make it a point that they can have her for two to three days a week. During those times, she looked like she couldn't ask for anything anymore.

But then things changed. Five years ago, the same year when she decided to leave for Hiroshima, a tragedy in her life happened that made her change so suddenly in front of their very eyes. Raiha died from terminal cancer that he got when he used to work for the Uruha as an assassin. His demise caused Fuuko's enormous change. During the funeral, Fuuko insisted on staying by his grave despite the fact that it was raining hard that day. The next thing he knew, Yanagi phoned him and asked him to come by Fuuko's apartment. Apparently, she was burning with fever and the rest are too exhausted to take care of her so they asked his help. When he saw her lying on the bed with all her emotions left unmasked for him to read, that was only then that he realized how similar they were. It was as if he was seeing himself in her and somehow, he didn't like it. Despite his efforts to it aside, he wants to see her smile again like the way she used to. But instead of staying strong like he thought she would, she leaves the city for five years like a coward.

He was about to go back to work again and snap out of his day dreaming when he felt a presence in the room that he had been used to.

"Kagero-san." He acknowledged at the same time, a feminine figure emerged from the shadows and walked towards one of the chair used for visitors.

Kagero sat herself on the chair and placed an arm on his table while observing him as he once again read the files for tomorrow's verdict. "You've been reading that file for about ten times already for the past five hours. Is there a need to memorize each word in it just so you win the case tomorrow?"

Tokiya paused for a moment and looked up to his unexpected companion with a cocked eyebrow. _Since when did Kagero became sarcastic and since when did she discovered this habit of sneaking up on me?_

Taking no heed of the look he was giving her, she reached for the frame he was looking at some time a while ago and turned it around so it would face her. "You know, she seems to have recovered from the incident five years ago." She said, referring to Fuuko.

"Isn't that the reason why she left? To recover?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Kagero just gave him a shrug before turning the frame back to its original position. "I just thought you would want to know."

"Why would I even bother myself with things that are not important?" he replied, getting irritated with the woman before him and itching to have her leave him alone to resume his work.

A smirked went its way across her face as she stood up and turn around so that her back was now facing him. Slowly and with sure steps, Kagero walked toward the shadowed part of the room but before completely leaving him, she turned her head towards him, still with that playful smirk on her lips.

"Are you sure?" and then she was gone, leaving him alone to ponder with his thoughts and her last words to him before she left.

For the next thirty minutes, Tokiya tried to concentrate on the file he was re-reading again but failed miserably. The words that the immortal lady told him haunt him and kept on disturbing his concentration. Knowing that he won't be able to go back to work, he angrily tossed the papers into his file case and decided to retire for the night.

* * *

Fuuko's eyes fluttered open at the constant ringing of her cell phone placed on top of her side table.

_I should've turned the blasted thing off last night!_ She mentally cursed herself as her hand lazily reached out to feel the phone against her palms.

After two to three times of failed attempt in locating her cell phone while her eyes was still closed and hidden beneath the thick blankets of her bed, she finally pushed over the blanket and groggily eyed the side table to locate her phone with her eyes. Upon seeing it, she reached for it and pressed the answer button as she brought it to her ear.

"Fuuko-neechan! Good morning!" a very energetic feminine voice she recognized as Ganko's shouted at the other line. "Did I wake you up?"

Trust Ganko to be naïve, always asking her the obvious. Realizing that the naivety the girl didn't change brought a small smile across her lips. "What do you think?" she whispered sleepily against the mouthpiece of the phone in her hand.

"Gomen ne." Came a soft replied but it was immediately replaced by the energetic voice she heard earlier. "You see, Yanagi-neechan decided that we have picnic today and she asked me to call you and tell you about it."

"What time?" she asked again.

"She wants you here at around nine. That would be an hour and thirty from now. You should get yourself up that bed and eat breakfast, then come here and help with the preparations, okay?"

"That's too early…" Fuuko complained as she felt dream world tugging at her once again and making her eyelids drop.

"Fuuko-neechan!" came a loud scream from the other side that brought Fuuko's eyes wide open and her body straight up the bed.

"Hai, hai!" she answered back as she pulled aside the covers from her body and dragged herself from the bed to the kitchen. "Gracious! You almost broke my eardrum…"

"Gomen ne… but I really want this picnic! It's some sort of welcoming party for you…"

She smiled at the way the girl was talking to her. It was as if it wasn't the Ganko she left five years ago. Before, Ganko would never apologize unless she couldn't win in the situation anymore. She taught her that. But her long absence left the child alone in the care of Yanagi, who taught her how a girl should really act and she appreciated it that the girl finally learned something she couldn't afford to teach. She wasn't really that popular for her manners as a lady. "You know, you're beginning to sound like Yanagi…" she teased.

"Neechan!" came a wail from the other end of the line.

She laughed at the reaction of the girl. It was the kind of reaction she was expecting and it pleased her to know that Ganko was taught the right things when she was away. "I was just joking… The truth is I'm glad Yanagi taught you the proper manners of a lady. You can't expect to learn those things from me, right?"

Ganko laughed at the other line. "But I did learn a lot from you like being strong to be able to protect myself. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to teach those kids who tease me in school a lesson they would never forget."

"Oh Ganko!" she exclaimed at the girl's answer as she opened the fridge and took out a container of fresh milk and poured some on the glass she prepared by the counter. "Don't let Yanagi hear you say that. I got to go. Still have to eat breakfast, you know, or else I'll be late to help for the picnic."

"Okay! See you later!"

"Later!" she said, ending the conversation between them and placing the phone on the counter beside her glass of milk.

Just as she was about to lift her glass for a drink, her phone beeped, indicating her that she just received a message. It came from Kurei telling her how sorry he was that he wasn't there at the airport two days ago to pick her up and that he was waiting forward for today's picnic so they can have time to catch up.

Apparently, when Ganko said it was a welcoming for her, it also meant that the whole package should come. Fuuko appreciated those things, though, knowing that they were doing it for her and she couldn't help but feel guilty hiding her emotions from them and making them believe the lies that she was telling them.

She replied to his message, telling him that she was looking forward on seeing him again and wanting to know what things he had done with his life so far. After sending the message, she drank the glass of milk before her and proceeded to the bathroom to take her shower.

An hour later, she was in Yanagi's kitchen cutting some vegetables and putting them in a bowl beside her.

"It's nice to know that you decided to learn how to cook." Yanagi commented at the skilful was she was doing her job. "Five years ago, you wouldn't be able to cut vegetables evenly."

"I have to learn." She answered, handing Yanagi the bowl of vegetables and watching her as she mixed it with the rest of the ingredients in a steaming pot. "I can't survive with frozen food for five long years in Hiroshima, you know. So one way or another, I learned how to cook simple dishes that could fill my stomach."

"Recca and Domon will be surprised when they hear that you already know how to cook."

"I bet on it." Fuuko chuckled. "Those two are the only people that I know who are interested on my progress."

"They're just concern about you, Fuuko. After all, they have known you for the longest time than the rest of us."

Fuuko smiled at Yanagi, silently telling her that she gets what she means. Recca and Domon have been her best buddies. Before Kagero appeared and Recca discovered his powers, the three of them had already been inseparable. Despite the usual banters and their constant struggle with Recca to make him bend to their will and be their ninja, they are still friends. And besides, up to this moment, it is very clear that someone had already made him bend to her will. Dragging her eyes from the healer's face, she let them rest on the silver band on her fingers and she couldn't help but think how she and Raiha would have gotten engaged.

Yanagi noticed Fuuko's gaze as they stayed on her fingers. Almost immediately, she knew that she was staring at her engagement ring that Recca gave her two years ago.

"Fuuko…" she said softly so as to break her trance and to avoid her from remembering Raiha again and getting sad all of a sudden.

Fuuko looked up when she heard Yanagi's voice. The moment her eyes met hers, she saw the concern and hesitation mirrored in her eyes and it made her want to take them away so as not to worry the healer anymore.

"It is okay, Yanagi…" she assured her friend, letting out a small sigh and forcing a warm smile across her face. "You must be happy, now that Recca finally put himself together and asked you to marry him"

Yanagi returned the smile then headed for the sink to dispose the bowl she had in her hands.

"By the way, who else are going to come?" Fuuko asked as she dipped the stirring spoon on the pot and tasted the meal they were cooking. "Wow, this taste good!"

"Everyone is coming." Yanagi replied, busying herself by washing the dishes and utensils they used for preparing their picnic meal. "Even Kurei decided to take an early leave from work today just so he could join the picnic. He said something about missing you when you arrived two days ago and it's his way of making it up to you."

Fuuko smiled at the thought of a former Uruha leader being sorry because he wasn't there to pick her at the airport. Seven years ago, he would have done everything just to jam her flight and make sure that she wouldn't land safely on the ground so that she won't be able to help the team in their struggles during the UBS.

Yanagi turned around to tell her to turn off the stove after the soup had shimmered but was momentarily stunned when she saw the smile playing on her friend's lips. She had to admit, she was astounded seeing her friend smile like that, not because there was something pleasant about her that she just said but because of the thought that Kurei must have something to do with the smile on her lips.

Fuuko must have noticed Yanagi staring at her for she raised her eyes to meet hers. She saw the expression on Yanagi's face. It was of astonishment and wonder and she suddenly became curious of what her friend was thinking.

"What?" Fuuko asked Yanagi, placing down the spatula she used a while ago to taste the food.

Yanagi's smile grew wider, indicating Fuuko that whatever things were going in her mind, they will be used to pull her leg and test her patience. "Why were you smiling, Fuuko?" she asked, her eyes narrowing into suspicious thin slits.

"Nothing." She answered after a few seconds of mentally debating whether should she ask another question or answer hers.

Yanagi's eyes even narrowed suspiciously, giving her a look that says 'You're not telling me the truth Fuuko.'

"I was just remembering something." She corrected herself, mentally kicking herself for drawing more suspicion out of her, not that she has something to hide anyway.

_Besides…_

_Raiha…_

"Are you sure?" Yanagi asked, inclining one head to the side and putting her hands on her waist. "May I know what you just remembered? Or should I say, who you remembered?"

Fuuko's eyes widen in realization when she heard Yanagi's question. So that is all this is about. Apparently, Yanagi had been talking about Kurei and when a certain thought came into her mind about Kurei's behaviour towards them before that made her smile, she instantly thought that she must have been thinking about Kurei in a different light.

"Look Yanagi," she started to explain, putting her hands in front of her. "Whatever crazy things going in your mind right now, I suggest you dispose them right away for it will get you nowhere."

"Well then, why don't you tell me what you were thinking? You're being so defensive." She said, still with the smile on her lips.

"Because there is nothing to tell!" she exclaimed to her defence, returning the playful smile on Yanagi's lips. "I just remembered him as he was seven years ago and how amusing it is to hear that he was sorry for not being there at the airport when I arrived when seven years ago, he would have made sure that I will not arrive."

"I thought you said there was nothing to tell."

"Well, I have to just to make that stupid thoughts in your mind disappear. Look, can we quit it already? The others are going to arrive any moment now and I don't want them teasing all the way to our picnic place."

Thirty minutes later, everything was set. All they have to do is drive out of the garage straight to where they will be going.

"Everyone, set?" Joker asked, pushing down the gas pedal to gear up the car.

The next thing Fuuko knew, they were out in the high way, making their way towards the outskirts of the town. According to Yanagi, their picnic was going to take place in a clearing beside a lake located a few miles from the town's outskirts. It was the place where they all hangout together during the end of the week and just wind up a little and escape the dreadful stress that the city was doing to each and everyone of them. They usually stay there up to night time, or when they feel really up to it, they stayed there up to dawn, drinking beers and relaxing away from the noise and pollution. The habit of taking a picnic during the end of the week took place just three years ago, during her absence, so she wasn't very much acquainted with the things they do there.

The occupants of the van, mainly, Recca, Yanagi, Fuuko, Joker, Kagero, Ganako and Kaoru, lapsed into silence when they were travelling for a few kilometres already. Ganko and Kaoru both dozed off at the far back of the van while Joker decided to quit telling his hilarious jokes and just focus on his driving. Kagero was now reading a book, although Yanagi insisted that is she keeps that up, she will be wearing glasses in no time. Fuuko was currently looking outside the window, watching the scenery flash before her as they drove past.

After an agonizing span of two hours, the van suddenly stopped in a clearing where a table was set under a large oak tree, overlooking a bluish lagoon. They set the things they'll need on the table while Yanagi carried the picnic basket from the van and put it on the table for them to set. Recca and Joker carried the cases of beers and bottle of champagne while Fuuko and Ganko helped each other carry the cooler where the drink will be put to cool.

After everything was set, Ganko and Kaoru immediately rushed to the lake and decided to take a nice swim while Kagero decided to sit down comfortably and continue reading the book she has in hand a while ago. Recca and Yanagi decided to have some time alone together, quietly strolling by the lake, hand in hand, and obviously in a very romantic moment, leaving Fuuko staring behind their back and remembering the times when she and Raiha used to do the same things, although less mushier than those two.

"Kirisawa-san." A voice suddenly loomed behind her, startling her and causing her to spin around immediately to see who called her name.

"Joker!" she exclaimed as a hand flew over her chest as she breathed out a sigh of relief. "You almost scared be to death!"

"You looked so preoccupied back there and I was beginning to fear that I'll be bored to death with no one to talk to." Joker said, a smile working its way across his face and his silent apologies inserted between the lines he just spoke.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized while her mind was searching for an excuse fro drifting off like that. "I was just thinking of how good those two looks together." She quickly lied before he suspects something.

Joker returned the smile before holding out his hand to her. "Would like to walk and have a little talk?"

She was thinking of declining but decided that a little talk couldn't harm her in any way, so without hesitation, she gave him her hand and let him lead her down by the lake.

"So, what would you like to talk about?" she asked, her gaze pinned on the ground while her hands gently swayed by her sides.

"Whatever you like." Joker answered her casually.

Fuuko's head lifted to meet Joker's face who was, looking opposite from hers. "I thought you wanted to talk."

Joker just shrugged his shoulder and faced her. "Frankly, I don't have anything to say. Maybe you want someone to talk to, so I'm right here."

Fuuko stared at him not knowing how to react. Seven years ago, they can't have a normal conversation with each other but now, Joker was actually telling her that he'll listen to whatever she has in mind. Seven years. It was all that it took to change everything in their lives.

"Well, there's nothing to talk about, really." She said, shrugging her shoulders and looking straight ahead of her. "My mind just kept on thinking how much change happened in our lives for the past seven years. I mean, before, Kurei would have done everything to get us out of his hair, but now, he does act nice even before I left. He even sent me an SMS message this morning."

Joker's lips twitched to the sides, indicating that there was a thought in his mind that he just couldn't bear to hide anymore. "What did he say in the message?"

"Well, he kinda, apologized for not being there when Recca and the others picked me from the airport. He even said he'll try to make it up to me sometime, though I don't really see the need of him doing such things just because he missed me at the airport."

"He never did those kinds of things to Neon or any girls close to him before. Usually, it's just a civilized apology, then that's it! No making up for it later craps added."

"Really?" Fuuko looked back at Joker, studying his face for any hint that he must be pulling some jokes on her. When she saw nothing, her head dropped to the ground to hide the flush that was beginning to form on her cheeks.

_Why would he do that to me, then? Is he hiding something from me?_

Joker observed her from the corners of his eyes. Years of fighting and training to keep his senses sensitive to people around him told him that Fuuko was trying to hide a blush from him. _Now, why would she do that? Perhaps…_

"Maybe he likes you." Joker said in an as-matter-of-fact tone that made Fuuko stumble a little bit before regaining her composure.

"What was that?" Fuuko confusedly asked him. "Are you for some reason, trying to make me stumble on purpose?" she humoured him while deep inside, she was feeling a little bit uncomfortable with the topic.

"No." Joker said, his smile growing wider than before. "Why would I do that? Perhaps I'm just trying to tell you the truth about—"

"About what, Joker?" a deep, familiar voice suddenly came up behind them.

* * *

Fuuko looked around and flushed even more for the topic of their conversation was standing right behind them and was smiling at them, particularly her. Feeling the need to break away from his gaze, he decided to look at Joker instead and see whatever reaction he has on his face. What she saw, however, made her want to disappear that moment and just vanish into thin air. Joker has this look on his face that clearly tells her that he was just about to say the truth!

"The truth about what, Joker?" Kurei asked again, hoping that this time, he'll be getting an answer from his comrade.

"Nothing." Joker simply stated, eliciting a sigh of relief from her that didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you alright, Fuuko?" Kurei asked, his face suddenly becoming a mask of concern.

"Hai," Fuuko amended, trying her very best to stop blushing while mentally scolding herself for being so stupid and careless.

"Are you sure?" Kurei asked once again, advancing on her and holding her by her shoulders. "I could get you to the nearest clinic if you're feeling faint."

"Maybe you should just take her for a little walk? Or perhaps have a little talk while standing by the lake like Recca and Yanagi are doing?" Joker suggested before scurrying away from them with an amused smile on his face.

Kurei looked at the direction Joker took with a confused look written all over his face. He can't help but wonder why he was acting weird all of a sudden when he seemed normal when he talked to him earlier that morning.

"Don't mind him." Fuuko interrupted his thoughts when she noticed the confused look on his face and before he could think of anything crazy from what Joker had said a while ago.

"Whatever are you talking about earlier?" Kurei questioned, thinking that it might have something to do with Joker's unusual turn of behaviour.

Fuuko was caught off guard by his question, making her ponder what to say next while mentally praying hard to the heavens to make something happen or to make someone interrupt their conversation so she would not have to answer it. Pathetic, maybe, but she was not in the mood to currently have a normal conversation with Kurei, especially after what Joker had said and the tears pricking the back of her eyes.

Her redemption came, however, in a very unusual and embarrassing way. All of a sudden, something hard hit her from her right, causing her to lose her balance and fall to her left, directly towards Kurei. Time seemed to have played a game on them for everything seems to pass by in slow motion. From the moment Fuuko was caught off guard by the thing that hit her, to the second her shoulders touched Kurei, who was now facing her half-way, to the minute she was steadied by Kurei up to her toes. Sounds like the ones seen on movies and the scene where the great Fuuko could never be in but believe it or not, it happened. Besides, she wasn't the tomboyish brat who'll chase after whoever dare touch her intimately anymore. Seven years and the incident that made her leave made her more matured now and push aside the boyish personality and let her feminine side show.

Fuuko's head remained pinned on the ground, not even daring herself to look up, uncertain that if she will, she might be like those she had seen in movies where the leading lady would look up to meet the gaze of the leading man and they end up kissing rather passionately. Besides, she was not ready to be in any kind of relationship, so mustering all her strength; she pulled herself from the hold and looked up.

"Thanks!" she exclaimed as if what happened just a little while ago has no malice, or is there? Kurei just broke her fall, that's all, nothing more, nothing less and it's just proper for her to say thank you. Fixing her gaze at the picnic table, she noticed that Tokiya was already standing there beside Recca, looking at their direction and she took it as an excuse to get away from Kurei for just a few minutes. "Look, there's Mi-chan! I guess I have to go there now to help them with preparing lunch. Later then!" she added, scurrying away from Kurei and heading towards the picnic table.

* * *

Kurei's gaze remained on Fuuko, her back on him and walking slowly away from him just like some years ago. He wanted to follow her and apologize but he can't seem to know the reason for her sudden change of behaviour towards him and what he should apologize for. Breaking her fall surely isn't worth apologizing for. He did her a favour when he did that. Yet, he could feel that he had done something to her that made her act that way, something that he feel he should apologize for.

Just as he was about to turn away from her retreating form, he noticed somebody else's presence near him, observing with obvious amusement.

"Joker." He acknowledged the other, completely facing the lake and waiting for his comrade to come out from his hiding place.

"Kurei." Joker said, coming out from behind the tree and walking over to his side.

"How long have you been listening?" Kurei asked curtly, trying to see if he could still hide some things from him.

"From the very start, so, there's no use hiding anything from me." Joker answered him, looking at him from under his eyelids and watching the reaction on the flame caster's face. Unfortunately, there was none.

"Is there anything to hide in the first place?"

"You have been hiding a lot from the very start."

"There is nothing to hide." Kurei answered more briefly, hoping that Joker will stop his questioning before he's forced to tell him something.

"Are you sure?" Joker mocked, then, glanced behind them just in time to see Fuuko throw herself at Tokiya. "Fuuko just gave the ensui wielder a big hug." He stated bluntly.

Kurei's head quickly snapped from the lake to the view behind him and saw Fuuko hugging Tokiya closely while the other was trying desperately to pry her hands off him. He couldn't help but feel downcast at the moment and he couldn't bare the scene before him. Slowly withdrawing his eyes from the scene, he slowly turned his head back to the lake, passing by Joker's amused face and telling him that he just made him read him like an open book.

"So, are you still going to deny me what I saw just now?" Joker pressed the matter to him.

_Damn! _Kurei swore mentally before continuing his conversation with Joker. "Is there a use of denying?"

Joker smiled victoriously as he saw the man elicit the emotions he had been trying to force out of him a while ago.

"You seemed satisfied." Kurei commented when he saw him smile. "Since when did you know?"

Joker smirked at him, clasping his hands behind his head and leaning onto it. "Long ago. Long before she had accepted Raiha."

Kurei looked at Joker and watched as he casually lean onto his hands like that. He wanted to ask him how he had known, since he was sure he did everything he could to hide the emotions he was feeling.

"Let's just say I'm too observant when it comes to you. And you're not very good at hiding your feelings, especially during the times when you thought no one was looking." Joker gave him the information when he saw that Kurei was too proud to ask him a simple question.

Kurei didn't move nor made a single motion that he will say something else but deep inside, he was grateful that Joker somehow knew about it. At least, someone could understand. He was, after all, the next man he would trust next to Raiha.

"You could have had her back then. If you told Raiha how you felt, he would have backed away and pushed her to you. He's more loyal to you than he is to her, you know." Joker added.

The memory of his deceased comrade brought a gloomy mask over his face. "He had served me well ever since he worked for me. Giving him the chance to be happy was the only thing I could do to repay his service for me. Besides, I'm not worthy of her. Not after everything I've done in the past."

Joker smirked at Kurei's reaction. "I had never thought someone as powerful as you are could bend down so easily because of that emotion. And I had never expected the recipient of that emotion to be her. I had always thought that you would fall for Neon, or someone in the Uruha."

This time, it was Kurei's turn to smirk as he slowly turned around to face the picnic table a few meters from them. "Neon?" He asked, rather amused. "And what? Be the recipient of your jealousy?" and with that, he slowly made his way to the table, leaving a very stunned Joker behind.

* * *

Tokiya stood impassively beside Recca, barely listening to whatever things the guy was telling him while his eyes wandered around the place and taking note of the slight changes that had shown for the past month that he was unable to come to their little get-togethers. Unexpectedly, his gaze went by the lake where Kurei and Fuuko was standing in a, rather, intimate position. Fuuko was slightly leaning against Kurei while the latter was holding her shoulders and looking down at her bowed head.

Tokiya somehow felt something inside him clutch into a painful notch but ignored it and made an attempt to tear his gaze from the two and give Recca his one hundred percent attention no matter how boring his dialogue may seem. However, his attempts became futile for his eyes kept on glancing at the two, watching as Fuuko slowly pulled from Kurei's hold and lifted her chin to say something to him. The next thing he saw was the figure of Fuuko walking, rather, briskly towards them, perhaps, in an attempt to escape her predicament with Kurei.

As he watch her strode from Kurei's presence to where they are at the moment, he can't help but notice the big changes that happened to her for the past five years.

Gone now was the Fuuko they see off the airport five years ago with sadness mirrored on her face. Despite the smiles she kept on giving them and despite the words that she'll be okay, he knew, rather, saw everything in her eyes. They were pained, almost in the verge of giving up, seeing that escape is the only way she could forget. Gone was the girl who fought with him side by side in the UBS. Gone was the strong girl who could always get away from all her troubles with head held high and with a victorious smile plastered on her face. He respected her for her courage and never did it crossed to him that he'll see her in such state. The moment he heard about the Uruha member's death, he thought that she'll face it, get over it, and then walk away with that smile on her face. Instead, she decided to leave, to escape, like a coward would.

But now, walking to where they were, Tokiya saw the same courage she has seven years ago at the UBS tournament. She probably got over the ninja and was now back to live a normal life again, or probably, she just mastered the art of masking her feelings and she was doing the very act, walking towards them and smiling at them like before. Besides, she looked mature already to be acting like a child and grieve for someone she just lost. He also noticed the physical changes that she under went during those five years. Gone now was the tomboyish hair cut, replaced by a shoulder length purple locks, and the usual shirt and jeans, replaced by a sleeveless shirt clinging onto her body almost like her second skin and a cream-shaded miniskirt that ended up a few inches from her knees.

Without him noticing it, she was suddenly before him and throwing herself at him, shocked by her sudden movement and caught completely off guard.

"Mi-chan!" she exclaimed, her arms around his nape and pulling him in a tight embrace.

Gently and with a little hint of irritation, he pried her hands from her nape and pulled himself away as if he was touched by a hot potato.

"Geez, Mi-chan! Didn't you miss me!" Fuuko mocked him, putting her hands on her hips and pouting at him like a child.

Tokiya rolled her eyes at her and just turned the other way while taking everything that he thought of her back. _How the hell did I even think that she is mature? She's still as annoying as before!_

"Still the ice man that I have come to know, I presume." Fuuko mocked when he made no attempt to even show a slight happiness now that she was back. "Looks like five years didn't do you any good."

"And I can see that after five years, you still remain as annoying as ever." He retorted back.

"And five years didn't even manage to melt that freezing heart of yours." She countered. Now way she was going to give up a verbal swords play that she, surprisingly, missed for five years.

"I see, once a monkey, always a monkey."

Instead of hearing a loud retort coming from her followed by a threat to blast his ego, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulders, causing him to turn his head around and meet her warm smile. _Damn!_

"Frankly, I missed that." She commented, referring to the nickname that only he was given permission to call her. Coming from somebody else's mouth, she would have lashed out at him and beat the living daylights out of him.

He watched her turn around and proceeded to the picnic table, helping Yanagi with the food and leaving him frozen in his place. Slowly shaking his head, he turned away from her and decided to take a walk to his car to get the bottle of champagne he had brought on his way there. Just when he was about to open the passenger's side, a shadow loomed behind him and even without looking back, he already knew who it was.

"Kagero-san." He acknowledged, opening the passenger's side and taking the champagne from the seat and closing the door behind him.

"Quite a hug she gave you back there." She said, blocking his way.

"I don't care." He replied curtly, trying to dismiss whatever she was trying to imply.

"Are you sure?" Kagero mocked him.

Tokiya let out a deep sigh, whether out of frustration, he doesn't know. "Why do I have this feeling that we already had this conversation before?"

"Déjà vu?" she asked, lifting one eyebrow as if mocking him to lose his patience. "I remember that time, only then, I left, leaving the question unanswered. Would you like to answer it now?"

Tokiya glared at her. Must this woman be so intimidating? As far as he can recall, Kagero was never like this before. "Why should I answer it?"

"Because it's a question and questions are to be answered."

"Not all questions should be answered." He retorted. "Some are better left unanswered, especially unimportant ones."

Kagero shrugged. He got her there but she will not give up that easily. "I know you missed her. Imagine, for five long years, you didn't hear the nickname she gave to you. 'Mi-chan', wasn't it?"

This time, Tokiya's glare intensified and he seems to be controlling his anger. "Call me that again and I'll have throat." He threatened.

"Pardon me." Kagero said, her voice tingling from amusement instead of sounding remorseful. "I never thought you never want anyone to call you that…" she paused, letting the sentence hang before adding, "except Fuuko."

He let out an exasperated sigh before pushing her aside rather roughly. "This conversation is useless."

Kagero just smirked at him, refusing to give him the last word in their verbal swordsplay. "If you don't want anybody to call you that, why are you letting Fuuko use that nickname for you ever since you've known each other?" and with that, Kagero disappeared into the shadows.

He saw her reappear again, this time, beside Recca and looking as if nothing just happened. He carefully treaded his way back to where the others are while silently calming himself and lengthening his patience.

_Must ignore everything she just said. Must ignore her and be patient so as not to kill her by the end of the day…. Damn!_

A/N: well, what do you think? Thanks for those who review by the way… till the next chap!


	3. shattered defences

A/N: well, here's the next chap... tell me what you think bout it...

by the way... i don't own FoR... god knows how i wanted to but no can do... hehehe! read and review please!

* * *

**Chapter 2: Shattered Defences**

_If you have to leave… I wish that you would just leave…_

_Coz your presence still lingers here…_

_And it won't leave me alone…_

_-my immortal: evanessence_

_I don't want to go back… I don't want to pretend…_

_And yet, it was all I could do…_

* * *

"So guys, what do you think about the weather?" Recca asked as he popped a piece of dumpling into his mouth.

Fuuko glared at him, knowing that the others are also doing the same thing.

"Recca, if you have nothing good to say, just shut up." Fuuko said, voicing out the same things the rest was thinking about.

"Hey, don't look at me like that? I was just merely trying to start a conversation. Everyone is awfully quiet." He said, throwing each and everyone around the table a curious glance.

Fuuko was about to retort something to his face when Yanagi cleared her throat and brought all the attention of the group to her.

"Recca is right. We should be happy that we're now complete." Yanagi's face then turned into a warm smile as she turned to Tokiya, who was now eating his food. "So tell me, Mikagami-sempai, how did the hearing go this morning?"

"Good." He replied without much of a glance to her direction.

"I take it that you won the case."

"What do you expect? He never lost in those kinds of things." Recca commented, taking again another dumpling from the platter.

Tokiya just shot him a glare before returning to his food. "I'm actually planning to take a month leave from work." He said before dipping in.

"Well that's good Mi-chan! At least you could spend more time with us." Fuuko exclaimed, giving him a pat on the back which was a little bit strong and caused him to choke on his food.

Fuuko laughed at his predicament, ignoring the glare she was earning from him. Apparently, some things never change despite the huge time they had away from each other's company due to their work and other business to tend to.

"Was that really necessary?" Tokiya snapped at her while wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Fuuko just shrug her shoulders and resumed to eating her food, while an angered Tokiya resumed to his food too. That was the second time already that he was caught off guard by the girl.

"What about you Fuuko? What are your plans for the week?" Yanagi asked her, ignoring the predicament a while ago.

Fuuko swallowed her food and noticed that everyone's attention was on her. "Well, I was planning on looking for a job and moving to a bigger apartment so I can have Ganko with me again."

"Really neechan! That's great! We can live in the same house again after a long time!" Ganko exclaimed, beaming up with excitement for the plan Fuuko has on her.

"Exactly what I was thinking." Fuuko said, returning the beam on the blonde's face.

"That's great! At least you're back to normal again. Besides, that apartment has too many memories in it that you…" Yanagi's voice trailed down when she realized what she was saying.

Fuuko's face suddenly lost the smile it has a while ago when her mind registered Yanagi's words. She bowed her head to hide the sudden change of mask on her face and found the food on her plate more interesting than her friend's face. She could feel their eyes on her and the silence that suddenly came over the table was defining for her. Knowing that Yanagi might get too emotional about what she did, she forced a smile on her face but she didn't lift her face up. She couldn't. She can't find the strength to as memories flooded her mind… bitter sweet memories…

Yeah, memories… there are too many memories of her and Raiha in that apartment. Everywhere she turns; there are memories that kept hunting her no matter how much she tries to ignore them. At the living room, there was always their memory of being snuggled close to each other on the sofa while watching their favourite movie or just talking to each other about their future. At the kitchen, there was always his memory of whipping breakfast, lunch or dinner for her during special occasions or during those times when he just feels like it. In the bedroom, there was always the memory of him sitting beside her bed and watching over her, taking care of her, when she's sick. Yanagi was right. That place has too many memories that haunt her.

Yanagi noticed the sudden change of emotion in her and she can't help but blame herself for being so careless and insensitive about her friend's welfare. Quickly, she apologized for what she said.

"Fuuko, gomen na sai." Yanagi's voice broke the line of memories flooding her mind.

Slowly, she looked up only to be met by Yanagi's face reflecting a little of the sadness she was feeling inside. Reluctantly, she forced a smile on her face, if not to erase the sudden emotions in her chest, then at least to take the worry off her friends face. "It's okay Yanagi. You don't have to apologize for anything at all."

"But I—"

"No!" she quickly cut her friends protest. "Please… let's just push this incident aside."

The next half an hour after that was spent in complete silence. Not even Recca dared to say anything stupid. Nobody dared to speak and Fuuko thank them for that. She doesn't know if she can participate lively in a conversation with thoughts of the past trying to drift into her consciousness.

After lunch was over and after she helped clean the dishes and put them away, Fuuko decided to wander alone by the lake, telling them that she needed to catch some air as an excuse. The truth was she wants to be alone, forcing her to decline Kurei's offer of escorting her while she take her walk.

Fuuko strolled by the lake in careful steps. From a far, she might look like someone in deep thought while truthfully, she was trying her very best not to think about anything at all. She was trying her very best to stop the memories from flooding her mind again. She was trying her best to stop the pain clenching at her heart and making it ache. She was trying her best to prevent the tears from showing and to suppress the shivers she was feeling. She tried, for five long years, to forget but she can't find the strength to let go of his memories, of him, in particular. It was as if the memories were all that could keep her sane. It was the only thing she could cling to just to have the strength to face every day. Without it, she would have done something to herself and follow Raiha to where he is. Yet, these memories are also the reason why she wanted everything to end for her, silently hoping that Raiha would heed her pain and take her with him.

_I can't let go Raiha…_

_I tried…_

_But I just can't…_

She could feel the pain again, clenching at her very soul, making her want to cry out just to release some of her pain. But instead of succumbing to her pain like she did five years ago, she remained firm, telling herself that no matter how much it hurts, she has to face them and act as if nothing's wrong. She has to be strong for them, or at least pretend to be strong for them, for her friends. For the second time in her life, Fuuko lost again her battle… emotionally.

_Raiha…_

_Please…_

_I don't want the memories…_

_I don't want them…_

_I want you…_

* * *

Later on that night, from her place around the bonfire, Fuuko watched as Recca and Yanagi snuggled close to each other, discussing their future plans for the wedding and even after that. Things went out fine after the incident during lunch time. She tried to laugh, smile and pretend that nothing was wrong with her and that she was the same girl they picked at the airport who just got over the death of her partner and ready to live life again. They seemed to have baited her act for they never asked her nor apologized again to her. They just went on with their conversation, however, this time; they were choosing their words carefully and avoiding any topic that might remind her of Raiha. For just a span of few hours, Fuuko became the master of masking her feelings and hiding it behind her smile.

Abruptly, she tore her gaze from the two when she felt the tears pricking her eyes and decided to let herself watch the others instead. She saw Ganko and Kaoru at her left toasting marshmallows and hotdog while Tokiya was beside the two drinking some beer. Joker and Kurei were at her left and also drowning themselves with alcohol. Joker seemed to have noticed her watching them for he looked at her way and raised a half-empty bottle of champagne to her.

She politely declined his offer and earned a disbelieving look from Joker. She saw him pat the space beside him, telling her to take the seat beside them and Fuuko threw a glance at Kurei to see if he was against the idea. What she saw, however told her that he might have not noticed the exchange between them for he was at his eight glass of champagne and was a rather tipsy already. Reluctantly, she moved closer to where they were and took the glass of champagne that Joker immediately offered her.

"Kurei seems a little drunk." She said, inclining her head towards Kurei's position.

"He's drunk, alright." He said, pointing at the half-empty bottle of champagne at his feet. "He was the one who drank all this. I'm just on my second glass."

Fuuko just shook her head slowly at the information Joker gave her. As far as she knows, Kurei wasn't the kind who would get drunk. He was always the responsible drinker.

"Look, why don't you move over here a little while I go get something to make him stop getting drunk all the way." Joker offered as she led her to a seat just beside Kurei and then left her there to sort out what to do with a drunken flame caster who has no thoughts of stopping.

Before she could even think of something, Kurei reached for the bottle once again and filled his cup up to the brim. He then emptied the cup straight that earned him a surprised look from Fuuko. When Kurei made an attempt to fill his cup again, Fuuko quickly took the bottle from him and put it far from his reach.

"Stop now Kurei or you'll get drunk." she said softly.

"Why do you care?" came a drunken response from her companion.

"Hey, it's not like you to get drunk like this. Is something bothering you?"

She watched him lift his gaze from the ground and suddenly found herself locked into his intense stare. Fuuko tried to divert her gaze but Kurei's palm found its way to her cheeks and prevented her from doing so. Still, Fuuko avoided eyes contact with him, focusing her eyes on the space beside her companion.

"You're bothering me…" he whispered, his warm breath just inches from her face.

Acting by instinct, she quickly pulled away from him and made an attempt to go back to where she was seated a while ago. She was about to stand up but his firm grip on her hand brought her down to her seat once again and was forced to make the eye contact she was dreading a while ago.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he demanded, his eyes looking almost pleading just for her to answer the question.

Fuuko stared back at his eyes, watching as flickers of emotions flashed before her through those pale blue eyes. One moment there was pain then anger then beseech. Suddenly, she found speech difficult and she can't help but read those emotions like an open book Kurei was forcing her to read.

"You're avoiding me… And I don't know why…" he added when she made no attempt to try to answer his question, his gaze intensifying with every second that passes by.

Her eyebrows furrowed at his next statement as her mind registered what he was trying to say. She wasn't avoiding him nor has she any intentions of doing such. She wasn't even aware that she was doing it. "I'm not avoiding you, Kurei."

She waited for him to say something, instead, his palm relaxed against her skin and moved away, gently moving against her skin as he did so and leaving a prickling sensation behind its trail. She watched him place his elbows on his knees and stare at nothing before him; his face becoming as blank as a slate, yet the gentleness that he always showed to her was still there.

"You know, you changed a lot." He said in a low voice.

"I know… Five years brought a lot of changes in me." She said, imitating his posture and letting her memories drift to those five years she spent in Hiroshima.

She recalled the stretch of the bluish ocean just outside the window of her apartment and the warm breeze that used to soothe her. She recalled the way the city was far more different than Tokyo, reminding her so little about it. After a few months of adjusting to her new place, she immediately enrolled herself at Hiroshima University taking up Architecture. She recalled the way she buried herself in her studies, cramming during exams and passing all the needed requirement to pass her course. She was busy and barely got time to think about anything else other than her studies and because of this, forgetting her past became an easy task for her.

"I wasn't referring to that." Kurei's baritone voice broke the line of thoughts in her head.

All of a sudden, her eyes were on Kurei, watching his features with an astonished look on her face. She dreaded every word that followed his statement a while ago.

"I was referring to the changes that happened to you when Raiha—"

"No." she interjected his speech, not wanting to hear the next word that would follow his name for she already knew it too well. She had months of unbearable pain as she became familiar to it. "Please, stop…"

"Your heart still belongs to him… I know it… you still hasn't forgotten about him…" Kurei's insistence awakened the memories she had hidden from everyone a while ago.

"It's not easy to forget." She whispered curtly back to him, fearing her voice might crack if she expound on her idea further.

"You don't want to forget about him… Admit it."

"Well, so what if I don't want to forget?" her voice increased a few tone higher as her frustration increased together with it.

"You're being selfish." Kurei prodded on, ignoring the growing frustration building up in her and refusing to let go of the conversation.

"So what?" Fuuko's voice was now a few inches higher than normal and it caught the attention of those who are close to them. Noticing this, she immediately lowered her voice once more to avoid letting the others know what they were talking about. "It's him that I want and it's him that I will still want. He's everything that I need and no one can ever replace that."

Fuuko watched as a poignant smile made its way across his face while he slowly turned his head to face her. Slowly, his fingers lifted to gently touch her cheeks and caress it soothingly. "You still love him even though he's gone… Maybe that's why I'll always be jealous of him…" he whispered against her skin, his warm breath coming in contact with her skin and making the hair on her neck stand out.

Fuuko's breath caught in her mouth as his lips came down out of nowhere and gently brushed the side of her forehead. The next second after that, he was up, walking away from her to the car where Joker said he would get something for his tipsiness. The kiss was quick, so quick that one would thought he just imagine it happened. And it wasn't like the ones he gives her when they part. Those were friendly, a polite gesture of saying good-bye to someone close to you. That kiss he just gave her was full of emotions that she could feel yet could not name. It was different and she has this feeling that it wasn't a friendly kiss anymore.

"Fuuko?" Recca's voice came from the other side of where he and Yanagi are seated, breaking the line of thoughts that was running in her mind.

Fuuko slowly turned around to face Recca and Yanagi and found them looking concerned at what happened.

_Did they hear what I just said to Kurei?_

She looked at their faces intently, watching for signs that they heard everything from the moment her voice raised but there were none, instead, a malicious smile spread over Recca's face and she was earning a 'you-can't-hide-it-anymore-from-me look' from Yanagi.

"What was that intimate kiss, Fuuko?" Recca asked her, slightly leaning to her direction so as not to miss anything that she would be saying.

Upon hearing the question, Fuuko let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. They'll never understand her. They'll never understand how they're making her feel when the keep on matching her with Kurei. They'll never understand how hard it is to accept someone new when you're still caught up with the past.

_Maybe they'll never understand…_

_Because I'll never let them to…_

_You know I'd fight for you…_

_But how could I fight someone…_

_Who isn't even there…_

_It's so unfair…_

* * *

Silence surrounded them as both masculine forms leaned back against a car, staring straight ahead at nothing. Only the even breathing from the two could be heard mixing with the natural resonance around them.

"Are you alright?" Kurei heard Joker asked and he couldn't help but smile at his friend's curiosity, sarcastically.

"What do you think?" he hissed.

Really now, when one is silent and drowning himself with alcohol, how could he think that everything was okay? Joker could be so insensitive at times and he hates it.

"I'll take that as a no." Joker presumed then paused for a while before continuing. "So, what happened?"

_Does he have to press it further?_

"She's still into him." He curtly answered, almost like spitting every word he said.

"After five years?" he shook his head incredulously. "Maybe his memories still hunts her."

Kurei just stayed quiet and so did Joker, letting the silence embrace them once again.

"You know what?" Joker's voice broke the silence once again.

He turned his head to Joker's direction and waited for him to continue.

"Making a move on her is fighting with the memories of a dead person just to win her heart."

Kurei analyzed what Joker had just said and indeed, he was trapped in a fight with someone who's probably decaying six feet under just to win her. And from the things that she just told him earlier, he feels like he's losing the fight. He stifled a chuckle at the thought that came to his mind.

_This is the very first time I'll be losing to someone who's already dead…_

_

* * *

I know when he's been on your mind…_

_The distant look is in your eyes…_

_I thought with time you'd realize…_

_It's over… Move on…_

_And let the past be memories…_

-all or nothing: o town

* * *

It was already midnight. Everything was quiet aside from the hooting of the owl from the forest nearby and the sounds of the crickets not far away. Everyone was already asleep in their own tents surrounding the bonfire they made earlier that night, everyone, except for a certain silver haired guy who was drinking a can of beer and was standing by the lake. Beside his feet was five more can of beers joined by an elastic foil.

Tokiya observed the dark water before him illuminated by the silver light from the full moon. The lake was peaceful, almost stagnant even and it almost matches the velvet colour of the night sky adorned with stars sparkling like tiny diamonds. It was during these kinds of nights that he remembers most about his sister. Mifuyu always loved the full moon. Sometimes, she would ravel to him how magnificent thing it is that it could light up the night in an enchanted way. Then she would draw him close to her and tell him that she would always be there for him to guide him and light his way just like the full moon lights the sky.

How long had it been? He was barely ten years old when his sister died and up to this moment, he still couldn't let go of her memories. Yes, he was over the revenge part of his life but still, he couldn't bring himself to forget. The thick ice barrier that he built around himself just got thicker as time goes by and no one had been successful in penetrating the ice and touching his cold heart. He just couldn't do it himself.

_Neechan…_

_Onegai…_

_Help me…_

"Mi-chan…" a soft feminine voice suddenly broke the silence of the night that was beginning to make him feel like he was deaf already.

Tokiya turned around and was greeted by a pair of cobalt eyes and warm smile. "Monkey."

Fuuko just smiled at the nickname and completely ignored it. They weren't too childish anymore to be punching each other just because of a nickname that he had been used to calling her. "What are you doing here all alone?"

"I thought you were asleep." He answered curtly, returning his gaze back to the water that stretched out before him.

Fuuko walked beside him, looking at the same lake he was looking at opening the can of beer she has in hand. "I can't sleep." She said before drinking from the can.

Tokiya, thinking that he shouldn't talk anymore and since he doesn't have anything to say, let the silence engulf them once again and resumed drinking his beer.

"You're not planning to get drunk, are you?" her voice shattered the silence around them.

He looked at her and watched as her eyes drifted from his face to the ground where the other cans of beer are placed. "No."

"That's good." She said, slightly bowing her head up and down and then went back to observing the lake.

Again, another deafening silence followed. For few more minutes, they just stood there, listening to each other's even breathing and the night creatures rustling in the dark. After a few more minutes, he heard the ruffling of the grass on the spot they were standing at. He turned his head to her direction, thinking that she just left him alone to ponder on his own thoughts and to have his own privacy; instead, he found her taking a seat just beside his feet. When she felt that his eyes were on her, she looked up at him and gave him a warm smile.

"You don't mind if I sit down, do you?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"No. Not at all." He said curtly.

Silence found them once again but was cut off when a cold breeze suddenly blew their way, rustling the leaves of a nearby tree and the bushes beside it. From the corner of Tokiya's eyes, he saw her shiver from the cold and wrapped her arms around herself. Being the gentleman that he is, he removed his jacket and handed it down to her without even bothering to glance at her way. He felt her accept the jacket he was offering and observed from the corner of his eyes as she placed the jacket around her shoulders.

"Thanks." He heard her mutter as another breeze blew their way. There was an uncomfortable pause, taking this opportunity to drink from her can of beer, before she continued reluctantly. "What are you thinking, Mi-chan?"

"None of your business." He replied in a frosty voice that almost matched the cold of the night.

He heard a chuckle from her and he looked down to give her one of his coldest stare, although deep inside, he knew that it wouldn't have an effect on her at all. She looked up, meeting his cold glare with a warm smile. "Five long years had passed Mi-chan and you're still giving me that crap."

"Yeah… And surprisingly, you're still as annoying as ever."

"You're thinking about Mifuyu, aren't you?" she asked straightforwardly.

Tokiya's glare on her intensified and if only looks could kill, she would be lying dead by his feet now like a frozen meat.

"Hey, quit glaring at me like that and take a sit. I might hurt my neck if I continue talking to you like this." she said, stretching her neck from side to side.

He debated on whether to leave her there sitting alone or concede to her request and spend more agonizing time with an annoying monkey. If he leaves her there alone under a cold night, something bad might happen to her and if the rest knew that he had the chance to look after her but didn't do anything, two flame casters will definitely burn him to ashes and Yanagi will never forgive him. The two flame casters, he could handle but the thought of Yanagi hating him was just like Mifuyu refusing to talk to him. So he picked the least harmful and decided to take a sit next to her.

"I was right, wasn't I?" she said before emptying her can of beer and reaching for another can of beer from those between us.

He looked at her in astonishment when she opened the can and drank from it. She sure drinks a lot. His was just half-empty but she's now on her second can. She mistook, however, the look on his face therefore she elaborated more on the question she threw him a while ago.

"I mean, I was right when I guessed that you were thinking of your sister." She said while gesturing with her hands.

_Damn! Does she need to press it?_

"So what if I am?" he said, suddenly having the urge to drown himself with alcohol so that he could have an excuse not to talk to her anymore. "Does that make you so great and mighty already?"

"Nothing…"she replied, ignoring the sarcasm in his voice. "Let's just say I could relate to what you're feeling when that happens…" her voice was dropping to an audible whisper and her face suddenly became masked with emotions that he was refused to show whenever he remembers his sister.

"I thought you forgot about him already. That was the reason why you left, right? To forget?"

"I can't help it. The memories kept on flooding my mind. It's hard to forget when you want all those memories to keep you sane." She whispered as she hugged her knees to her chest and drank the last drop of beer in her can.

He was about to say something else when he saw her grab another can of beer and opened it then drowned it in straight gulps. He never knew that Fuuko could drink this much or was it probably because she was seeking for the oblivion that alcohol could give just so as to block the memories that would surely hurt her. When Fuuko's fingers reached for another can of beer, he gently gripped her hand by the wrist and took the other cans of beer away from her reach.

"Enough. You'll get drunk if you continue consuming alcohol in that pace." He warned her in a low baritone voice.

"Why Mi-chan, you sound like you care…" she whispered as she gently pried her hand from his grip and settled down, looking at the lake before them.

Tokiya couldn't help but mentally scold himself for meddling with her life. _Yeah, Mikagami, you almost sound like you care. I must be getting soft…_

"Mi-chan…" she called out his name in a barely audible whisper that surprised him. What surprised him even more was when she slowly leaned her head on his shoulders and gently closed her eyes, the alcohol having an effect on her already.

His body suddenly became rigid from the sudden intimate contact that Fuuko elicited. He had never been this close to a girl in his entire life and he made all possible ways to prevent himself from getting this close to a girl. He felt her snuggled closer and he can't help but watch her from under his eyes, his body still rigid.

_Alcohol… this is just the effect of too much alcohol…_

"I miss him…" she whispered against his shoulders before her body relaxed, the alcohol in her system finally taking effect, then, she fell into the oblivion she had been waiting for.

Tokiya's body was as rigid as a stone but deep inside, his mind was in turmoil. It was already bad enough that he has to stay with an emotionally stable Fuuko but to be stuck with a drunk and sleeping Fuuko was definitely worst. Another cold breeze came, giving him the signal to carry Fuuko back to her tent before she catches cold. Although he gave her his jacket, the moist in the air might affect her and she might catch something.

Trying his best not to awake her, he slowly placed his arms beneath her knees and back and slowly lifted her from the ground. The motion made her stir a little in his arms, snuggling closer to his chest, so close that he could feel the warm breathing she was eliciting on his chest and the material he was wearing was being not much of a hindrance. Slowly and with careful steps so as not to wake her up, he headed back to her tent and gently laid her down inside. Just when he was about to leave her tent, he felt her hands around his and prevented him from leaving.

"No… don't leave me… scared…" she mumbled in her sleep.

Seeing no other way out, he stayed inside her tent and waited for her grip to loosen so he could leave, all the while, wondering what kind of nightmares was hunting her dreams. As much as possible, he tried to keep his eyes away from her face and tried to focus on something else but when he heard her mumble again in her sleep, he wasn't left any choice but to look at her. He regretted it almost immediately for the moment his eyes fixed on her face; he can't seem to find the strength to pull away. His eyes traced every feature of her face and watched as it showed him the same emotion she had when he took care of her when she was sick. It was pained, almost hopeless and in the verge of giving up and he suddenly felt the urge to make them go away. Without thinking what he was doing, he slowly lowered his head and softly brushed his lips against her cheek, letting them feel the warmth emanating from her skin and how silky her skin felt like.

Just when he thought the moment would last, a moan escaped Fuuko's throat and made him aware of what he just did. Abruptly, he pulled back as his hand crept to touch his lips.

_What the hell—_

Without another thought in mind, he quickly sauntered off to his own tent and forced himself to sleep, burying the feel of her soft skin against his lips and how he had wanted to

make that moment last.

* * *

hey, reviewing is just a click a way so please take your time and tell me how to improve this fic even more and what you think of it...

tanks! till the next chap!


	4. searh for home

**Chapter 3:**

_It's so hard to let you go…_

_Though I know that I must try…_

_Yet the memories keep on flashing back…_

_And I just can't say good-bye…_

_-forgot if this came from a song or anything... i'll just edit it when i remmeber... sowee..._

_

* * *

9:01…_

_Late… as always…_

Tokiya stood from the bench he had been sitting at for the past ten minutes. She was late and he had no intentions of waiting for her for another minute. If it wasn't for Yanagi, he wouldn't have agreed to accompany her looking for an apartment and he wouldn't have forced himself to wait for her. Besides, he had no intentions wasting his precious time like this. He would rather go back home and slump against the sofa doing nothing than wait for her for God knows how long and then spend the entire afternoon with her annoying company.

Before leaving, Tokiya looked up at the sky and noticed the big dark clouds looming over the city. Sooner or later, it will rain and he had no intention of getting wet in the process. Without having second doubts, he walked away from where he was waiting and mentally planned the things that he will do when he reached his apartment.

"Mi-chan!" her juvenile voice called him but he didn't make an attempt to turn around, instead, he continued walking away with all the intentions of leaving her behind.

"Hey! Wait up!" again, she called for him but ignored it.

There is no way he is going to turn around and accompany her. Not after he gave her a firm direction to be there at exactly nine in the morning and that he wouldn't wait for her.

The next thing he knew, she was beside him and trying to match the pace he was walking in.

"Look, I'm sorry I was late. For heaven's sake, it was only for two minutes! Be reasonable!" Fuuko reasoned out.

Fuuko looked at him in disbelief. Yes, she was late, but only for two minutes. Can't he even try to be reasonable? Besides, it wasn't her fault that the pedestrian light turned green two minutes late. If it wasn't for that, she would have made it in time.

"Mi-chan, you're not planning to abandon me during my search for a new apartment, are you? Besides, it looks like it's going to rain and I don't have a car." she asked with a slight hope that maybe he wasn't really intending to do what she was thinking.

"We had a deal." Tokiya replied coldly, not even bothering to throw her a glance. "You come late, then, I won't accompany you."

"But Mi-chan—"she tried again but his cold voice cut her.

"And, I believe, we agreed that there will be no reasons accepted."

Fuuko heaved out a deep sigh, knowing that no matter what she tells him, he wouldn't listen to her. But still, she followed him until they reached the park's parking lot where his silver ford was parked. Tokiya opened the door by the driver's seat but Fuuko quickly pushed it back with her left hand, stopping the door from opening and forbidding him gain access to his car.

Tokiya glared at her, his eyes speaking a warning that if she pushed him further, he might do something that she might regret.

Fuuko ignored the look he was giving her. She already know that no matter how deadly he looks at her and no matter how sharp his tongue is, he still couldn't hurt a girl. It was his weakness, being the gentleman that he is. Instead, her left hand dug into her shoulder bag and pulled out her cellular phone. This was her very last resort and no matter how dirty it might look, she would still do it just for the sake of having his company while looking for a new apartment. According to Yanagi, people selling those apartments sometimes trick their buyers into paying money more than the apartment is really worth and having a lawyer with her with great senses and keen observation would help her a lot.

Quickly, she dialled a number and placed the phone against her ear.

"Who are you calling?" came his cold voice, devoid of any emotions he was feeling at that moment.

"You'll see." She said, giving her a knowing look that Tokiya was beginning to hate.

He could sense who she was calling. He isn't that dense not to know. She was calling Yanagi to tell her that he wouldn't accompany her this afternoon. Tokiya almost give into the urge of banging his head on the roof of his car and cursing the girl standing before him, looking so innocent and cunning at the same time.

"Fine." He hissed, turning his head to the other direction and refusing to see the triumphant look that will surely cross her face.

Who would have thought that this was the very same girl who looked so vulnerable two days ago during their weekend get together? During that time, she was so vulnerable and weak that one would think she couldn't think of anything anymore at all aside from that boyfriend of hers who died five years ago.

But now, he was looking at a different person, capable of black mailing him and looking so cunning he would have thought it was her twin that night. This girl sure holds a lot of surprises that annoyed him to the very core.

"What was that, Mi-chan?" she asked, cancelling the call and looking victorious.

"I'm not repeating myself." He curtly answered, refusing to make him admit once again that he had just lost to her.

"Well, then, I guess I'll just call Yanagi and tell her that—"

Tokiya let out a frustrated sigh then looked at her, or rather, glared at her. "I said fine already. I'll accompany you looking for a blasted apartment."

"Why thank you, Mi-chan." She grinned, taking her hand that was blocking the door of his car.

"Get in." he commanded her, opening the door and sliding in.

"Aren't you even going to open the door for me?" She asked mockingly, obviously pressing the issue deeper.

"In case you've forgotten, I'm forced, no, blackmailed, to do you a favour. Don't expect me play chauffeur to you." He said then shut the door close and refusing to give her a time to even say anything else.

Fuuko groaned in frustration, then stalked to the passenger's side and opened the door. She let herself in and closed, or rather, banged the door close. That earned her a glare from Tokiya but she refused to look at him. She could sense his gaze throbbing into her, boring holes into her body until such time that she would cease to breathe. Ha, the beauty of having to kill without even lifting a finger. Too bad, though, looks couldn't kill.

"This is not your car." He glared at her. "So if you don't want to be thrown out of it, you better behave yourself."

"Do you realize how many people had said that to me in the past and ended up defeated?" she asked, turning her head to meet his glare.

"You are so ungrateful. And to think that I'm doing you a favour." He said, turning on the engine and starting to manoeuvre the car from the parking lot.

"You, know, if you'll really think about it, you're doing Yanagi a favour not me."

Tokiya refused to retort back, knowing that she just got him there. Come to think of it, he was really doing Yanagi a favour and not her. He only came here and agreed to accompany her because Yanagi asked him to and he can't just simply say no to the exact replica of his sister. Instead, he just continued manoeuvring the car along the streets.

He gently brought the car to a halt when the traffic light turned red before they could even pass. Unconsciously, he threw a glance at her and found her staring angrily at the window. Then his gaze went back to the scene before him, refusing to take heed of her current state. She could be angry at him for all he cares.

The lights turned green and Tokiya stepped on the accelerator. After a few minutes of driving around the neighbourhood, the rain that was threatening to fall a few minutes ago came in a heavy downpour that soaked the dry ground and everything around them. After a few more turns, they arrived at another traffic light and Tokiya had to stop once again, finally beginning to hate the colour red that keeps on delaying them.

Fuuko looked outside, watching as the tiny droplets of water fall from the sky onto the cold pavement below. She could see the people hurrying under their umbrellas so they could reach their destination faster and escape the heavy downpour. Just then, a clap of thunder roared across the sky and Fuuko literally hugged herself, either to shield herself from the cold or from the memories that thunder reminds her of. Despondently, she tore her gaze from the window and focused her attention to the road ahead of them, trying her very best to look passive.

_Thunder…_

_Raiha…_

This small movement from Fuuko brought the former ensui wielder's attention to her, this time, slightly turning his head towards her seat and openly observing her features. She was looking passive, devoid of an emotions but he could see her hugging herself like a scared child. His gaze went to her eyes and that too, betrayed her, letting him see what her face refused to let him see. Those cobalt pools are forlorn, pained and he could imagine the thoughts going in her mind, flashes of memories she tried so hard to leave behind. He couldn't help but wonder, was the memories the reason why she was hugging herself like that?

Sensing his eyes on her, Fuuko broke the silence that surrounded them from the time they left the park. "You're staring at me." She said, her voice, cold and devoid of any emotions. She didn't even bother to look at him, afraid that if she does, he'll see what she was trying to hide.

Tokiya opened his mouth to retort anything back at her but words failed him and he instantaneously closed them again. There was something in her voice that made the words stuck on his throat. It almost sounded like she was pleading him with things he cannot name. It was like she was demanding, pleading him not to inquire about what he saw and forget that he saw anything at all.

"The light has turned green." Her voice cut the line of thoughts in his head and brought his attention to his driving.

The next few minutes after that was spent in stillness, with Fuuko concentrating on blocking Raiha's memories and Tokiya wishing that their agenda would be finished as soon as possible before the girl he was with starts getting overly emotional for his company.

* * *

Kurei looked at the files on his table, carefully checking each piece of paper for errors and things to be noted with regards to the new project their company decided to start on. Considering their current financial status and investment offers, the project could be started six months from now before Christmas. However, this could also mean that he won't be able to entirely enjoy his holiday because of the things that he will definitely need to check every now and then. The only break that he could have is during the eve of Christmas and Christmas itself.

Slowly closing the folder he had been reading for quite some time now, he gently laid his back against the soft leather cushion of his executive chair and gently massaged his temples with his fingers. All those planning and double-checking was already giving him a headache and he would have escaped from all those work if only there wasn't an important meeting he has to attend to an hour from now.

_Damn! I'm completely stuck in this office for the whole day._

Deciding that he would take an early lunch, he dialled Recca's office located at other wing and told him to come to his office so they could have lunch together before they attend the meeting. Recca agreed to his idea and told him that he would come as soon as he finished keeping the files he had been reading.

Knowing that Recca won't be in his office for about fifteen minutes tops, he took his time and decided to return the files back to his file case to secure it before anyone would come to his office and use the files against them. As he neared the files case, which was located by the window, he noticed the heavy cloudburst outside and the way the tiny droplets of water gracefully slide down the glass pane of his office. As soon as he locked the file case and secured all the confidential files in it, he moved closer to the window and just watched the rain pouring down with all its might. After a few minutes of staring outside, a loud clap of thunder boomed from the sky, letting the former Uruha leader hear it and reminisce about a certain ninja who was loyal to him up to their very last battle.

Raiha had been a loyal servant, just like as it is expected for a ninja to be loyal to his master. But Kurei didn't beat him so he could be his ninja and his second hand man; instead Raiha offered his service unselfishly to him. Such a loyal friend, comrade, so loyal that he killed and soiled his hands with blood just for him and the only thing that he could ever think of was to give him the only happiness he had in his life. He had to admit, Joker was right when he said that he could have had Fuuko for himself during those times. He could have told him his feelings for the former fuujin wielder and Raiha would have given her to him without second thoughts. But he didn't, instead he let them be happy together for two years to serve as his atonement for Raiha's services and for making him kill.

The sound of the door opening abruptly broke the line of thoughts in his head. Slowly, he turned around and came face to face with his brother.

"Recca." He acknowledged the newcomer with a slight nod then went to the table to get his wallet and cellular phone.

"You look preoccupied back there." Recca said, watching his brother get his things from the drawer of his table.

"I was just thinking about the project." He lied, motioning Recca to follow him out of his office.

Recca gave him a doubtful look as if not believing what he had just told him. Somehow, he has this feeling that his brother was thinking about something else only he doesn't want to let him know. And somehow, he thinks that it has something to do with Raiha. He was, after all, his brother's closest friend and the ninja had shown him loyalty that couldn't be found on anyone at all.

"If you're going to stand there all day, then we won't have the early lunch and we have to attend a meeting with an empty stomach." Kurei brought him out of his trance and gently pushed him towards the door.

Recca just let himself be pushed by his brother, all the while thinking if he should tell him about his doubts on his answer to him a while ago. He decided not to tell him, knowing that no matter how prying he becomes, Kurei will simply refuse to answer.

"Hey, hime called me a while ago." Recca said as they both put down their trays on the table reserved for them in the office canteen.

Kurei cocked an eyebrow at him and motioned him to continue what he was saying.

"She told me that Fuuko went out today to look for an apartment." Recca continued.

At the sound of Fuuko's name Kurei's full attention was focused on Recca and every word he was saying.

"Tokiya accompanied her so he could advice her with regards to the price and the apartment. Knowing the kind of conniving people out there who would increase the real price, Tokiya would be of great help for her." Recca said, putting in his mouth a piece of food every now and then as he speaks.

Kurei quietly ate his food, his thoughts on a certain purple haired girl he would have been spending his entire afternoon with if only he hasn't that important meeting to tend to. He would have gladly accompanied her and spend some time with her instead of Tokiya. Not that he has anything against the guy but knowing how cold he could be and knowing how he is annoyed with Fuuko's attitude, he would have gladly switched places with him.

* * *

Tokiya stopped his car in front of an apartment where a big 'For Sale' sign was stuck in front of the barren garden. This would be their fourth stop already and he was thankful that the rain had stopped already therefore; it would be easier for them to look around the neighbourhood and check out the apartments.

The first three was just not what they, or rather, Fuuko was looking for. The first apartment they checked out was too expensive for something so small and ancient. The next was just the right amount; however she would spend a lot more money for repairing the damages of the house. The third was too big and too expensive for her budget. So they continued looking for apartments even though it was already nearing lunch time.

Opening the locks of the door, he motioned Fuuko to go out of the car and take a look at the apartment.

Fuuko went out of the car, gently closing the door behind her and approached the apartment. Just as she was half-way there, a stout man in his early forties greeted her and Tokiya, who was suddenly behind her.

"Welcome." The man greeted them cheerfully. "I'm Mr. Takashi Seito. The owner of the house entrusted the selling of his apartment to me when he moved to America last year and settle there for good. How can I be of help?"

Fuuko returned the smile he was giving her and moved her gaze back to the house. "If you don't mind, can I go inside and take a look around?"

"Of course, I would gladly show you and your companion the interior of the house." He said, leading them to the front door.

Fuuko and Tokiya followed him and went inside when he opened the door.

It wasn't that big as they had expected. The living room was small and the kitchen wasn't spacious enough. When they went to check out the rooms, it was just a few square meters smaller than the living room.

Tokiya mentally groaned when he saw the interior of the house. This isn't definitely what Fuuko would like to have. It's just too small for Ganko and her. Besides, there are a lot of repainting to do that she would definitely spend more just to make the house comfy and worth living in.

Fuuko looked at Tokiya's expression and from the way he was looking at her; she knew that they were just thinking of the same thing. This is definitely not what they were looking for.

After politely telling the man that it isn't the house that they were looking for, Tokiya and Fuuko went back to the car and after a few minutes, they were on the road again.

"We're not going to find the apartment we're looking for." Fuuko complained. "It's lunch time already and still, all those that we have looked at are either too expensive or too small."

Tokiya ignored her, sensing that there was no need for him to say anything at all. But come to think of it, if there was someone who should do the complaining, it should be him. He was, after all forced to accompany her and they've been looking for three hours tops, still they couldn't find the right apartment. It didn't help that he was starting to have this headache of going in and out of houses and driving through moderate to heavy traffic. Plus, his stomach was already complaining of lack of food.

Glancing at Fuuko, he noticed that she, too, looked tired already and even without her saying so, he knew that she was already hungry. He almost chuckled at the irony of the scene before him. Several years ago, Fuuko would have been jumping on her seat and literally pointing at every food joints that she could find and annoying him to treat her to lunch. Now, however, she was just silently sitting beside him and probably ignoring her stomach's protest for lack of food just so she would not annoy him anymore.

"Hey, where would you like to eat?" he asked out of nowhere that surprised, not only Fuuko but also himself.

Fuuko looked at him with lips slightly ajar from the shock that he brought her. She wasn't expecting him to invite her to lunch at all. In fact, she was expecting him to let her starve to death or make her beg that he treat her to lunch.

"Well, aren't you hungry?" he asked her, still not taking his eyes off the road, when he felt that she was looking at him rather oddly.

Fuuko quickly recovered from her shock and decided to answer him. "Anywhere would do." She said as she returned her gaze back to the window.

Tokiya mentally shrug his shoulders and brought the car back to the main street where his favourite restaurant was located. After thirty more minutes of driving and five more minutes of finding a parking space for the car, Tokiya and Fuuko entered the pleasant restaurant and settled themselves on a table for two by the windows. A waiter came and took their orders then after a few minutes of waiting; their orders arrived, filling their nostrils with the aroma of the food before them. They ate their food in complete silence until such time that Fuuko broke the silence between them.

"The food here is great, Mi-chan. I never knew you eat at this kind of restaurants." She started a conversation although she was already guessing that he wouldn't even cooperate.

Surprisingly, Tokiya decided to cooperate with her and start a conversation. "Mifuyu used to take me here."

Fuuko's mouth formed an o shape when she heard what he had just said. It didn't help that she too remembered the food chain that she and Raiha used to go to before he died. It was then that she decided that they better spend their lunch silently and leave each other their own privacy from the memories hunting their minds.

After an hour, they were back on the road again, watching for houses with signs written on them that indicated that the house was on sale. Thirty more minutes later of driving around and still finding nothing, Tokiya then decided to drop by his apartment for a while to check his mail for some important things he has to look out for.

Fuuko noticed the familiar neighbourhood where Tokiya lives and she can't help but wonder why he was driving home when they aren't finish looking for her apartment. Not being able to suppress her curiosity anymore, Fuuko glanced at Tokiya and asked him.

"Hey, why are we going to your house?" she inquired, tilting her head to the side and throwing him a questioning look.

"I just need to get something so you don't have to worry about me abandoning you in the middle of your quest for a new abode." He replied sarcastically, not even bothering to look at her even after she gave out a sarcastic chuckle.

After a few more twist and turns along the streets, Tokiya gently stopped the car in front of a quite large house that she usually barged in back on their high school days.

"Wait here." He instructed her in a tone that tells her 'go somewhere else and I swear I won't waste my time to look for you' and 'don't you dare follow me inside for I swear I'll throw you out like a dirty rag'.

Fuuko waited for him to close the door of the car and enter his house before sticking out her tongue to his direction. He was treating her like she was a kid and she was beginning to hate it already. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she focused her attention to the road stretching out before her while mentally thinking of words that could describe Tokiya in a not-so-nice way.

Tokiya, after rummaging through his mail, went back to the car and found her, arms crossed across her chest and glaring at the road before them. Not bothering to ask her if anything was wrong for he was pretty sure he ahs something to do with it, he just stepped on the accelerator and let the car speed along the road. They haven't been away for three blocks from his house when Fuuko suddenly screamed and got hold of the steering wheel.

"Mi-chan, stop the car!" Fuuko shouted, distracting Tokiya's attention from his driving and nearly sending the car off the road.

Tokiya was left without any other option than to hit the break hard and put the car to a complete stop instead of dangerously going on. This, however, almost made their heads slam on the dashboard before them and have a minor head injury that he didn't need due to her actions.

"What do you think you're doing!" he shouted at her when the car stopped and he had the chance to scold the girl who nearly sent them to their graves.

"I told you to stop the car." Fuuko explained, knowing that she really had done something unaccountable for if ever their lives are put into danger.

"Was that really necessary! I mean, you could have just told me in a calm way and not grabbing the steering wheel from me!"

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking properly and I—" Fuuko tried to apologize again, knowing that what happened back there was entirely her fault and Tokiya had every right to scold her.

Tokiya was furious with what she just did and he can't accept any apology coming from her nor is he going to control his anger, no matter how reserved others think he is. His patience could only be too little sometimes and this is one of those times.

"If you want to get killed and follow your boyfriend to his grave, then I suggest you do it yourself and—" Tokiya's voice trailed off when he realized what he just said.

He watched her as she avert her gaze to the window. Although he couldn't see her expression, even from her reflection from the window for her hair was covering her face, he knew that he hit a soft spot there. He just said something that he shouldn't have said, especially to her. He let out a deep sigh when he realized the damaged he had done when he lost his cool back a few minutes ago. It wasn't him to lose his cool like that but something in him just snapped and he lashed it out at her.

A long, tensed silence surrounded them yet; Tokiya couldn't bring himself to apologize for what he just said. It was never in his nature to apologize about something even though he was to blame. And right now, he doesn't know what he should tell her or how she would react to anything that he would tell her.

A few minutes passed and Tokiya decided to break the tension between them. "So why did you asked me to stop?" he asked, hoping that no matter how emotional Fuuko is now, she would answer him and make it easier for him.

Fuuko contemplated on ignoring his question and ask him to take her home or just answer his question and pretend that nothing happened a while ago. Yes, she was hurt by what he said but it was really her fault why he lost his cool and said those words to her. She couldn't bring herself to put all the blame to him. After all, he was kind enough to accompany her for the whole afternoon. Yet, the words that he said affected her so much that it she nearly gave all the strength she could muster just to answer his question.

"I saw a house close to yours back there that's for sale. I thought we could check it out." She said softly at the window but her statement was meant for Tokiya.

Without another word, Tokiya put the car in reverse and they went back to the road they just took a while ago.

Just three blocks away from Tokiya's house, they stopped in front of a residence that looked all prefect for Fuuko when viewed from the outside. What they don't know is that if it will still look perfect when viewed from the inside. They made their way to the house and they came across an elderly woman whom, they supposed, was the one taking care of the house.

"Good afternoon. What can I do for you?" the elderly woman greeted them warmly.

"We would like to take a look at the house, if you don't mind." Fuuko answered.

Before they knew it, they were ushered inside the house and Fuuko could only hold her breath when she saw the interior of the house. The living room was spacious and so is the kitchen. There are two bathrooms in the house. One was downstairs, beside the staircase while the other was upstairs in between the two bedrooms. The bedrooms, unlike the other apartments they have seen, was spacious that you could put two medium size beds in it.

"What do you think?" Fuuko asked Tokiya as they made their way back downstairs.

Tokiya shrug his shoulders before replying. "Not bad."

"So, how do you find the house?" the old woman asked them when they reached the last step.

"It's wonderful and I want it." Fuuko said with a warm smile across her face.

The elderly woman returned the smile and then disappeared in the kitchen. When she came back, she was holding the papers of the house and was giving it to Fuuko.

"I'm glad you liked the house. Here are the documents of the house. The deed of sale would be given to you a week from now."

"That's great. Here's my payment." Fuuko said as she handed the old woman a check as her payment for the house.

The old lady gave a polite bow before accepting the check she was giving her then she reached in her pocket and pulled out the house keys. "Here are the keys to the house." She said while handing Fuuko the keys placed around a small thin wire that serves as the key holder. "May the two of you be happy in this house."

Fuuko started to protest but Tokiya motioned her not to do so. Besides, the old woman was now exiting through the main door and leaving them.

Fuuko tired to hide the blush that was staining her cheeks from Tokiya. She was embarrassed at the thought the old woman was indicating them. Apparently, she thought that they were married couples looking for a new residence when in fact; she was an unwanted company who blackmailed her companion into accompanying her.

A few minutes later, they were back in Tokiya's car and they were having this uncomfortable silence between them this time, however, it was Fuuko who broke the silence.

"Hey, thanks for accompanying me today. I really appreciate it."

"You should. I was, after all, blackmailed to do this." he replied sarcastically as he starts the engine and stepped on the accelerator. "So, I suppose you want to go home now."

"No." she answered briefly and the look Tokiya gave her almost made her laugh her head out. "I mean, you can take me to Yanagi's. I promised I'll tell her about the house that I bought."

Tokiya just shook his head as they drove away. How can she do that? One minute she was all gloomy and quiet, the next, she was cracking jokes and smiling as if nothing happened. Really now, this girl could change emotions faster than a blink of the eye.

* * *

"So, tell me about that apartment you bought this afternoon." Yanagi inquired as she and Fuuko settled themselves on the stools by the kitchen counter and busied themselves with a glass of flavoured drink and a few homemade chips.

Tokiya dropped Fuuko by Yanagi's house a while ago and hastily left, telling them that he has something else to do. Though, Fuuko couldn't really figure out what he has to do. After all, he was on a month leave and that means that his work couldn't interfere with that. Even so, they bid him good-bye and went inside Yanagi's house to talk about the apartment she found.

"The house is wonderful." She said, although she lack the excitement that one has on their faces when they just bought something they really liked.

Yanagi noticed the lack of excitement in her friend's voice and she couldn't help but wonder what came to her mind and took all those excitement away.

_She's probably a little emotional about moving. She and Raiha, after all, shared a lot of memories in her old apartment._

Fuuko noticed that Yanagi was observing her and her reactions and she couldn't help but scold herself for making her see like this. How the hell could she convince them she's already over Raiha when every slight things that reminds her of him, she would just start to feel and act gloomy? She needs to make up for that mistake she kept on doing.

Forcing a smile on her face and hoping that the smile didn't look forced, she beamed at Yanagi and told her the only thing she had thought of that might take her friend's mind away from her. "Oh, and did I mention that it's just three blocks away from Mi-chan's house? You should come with me the day after tomorrow so you could check out the house."

Yanagi's mind, just as expected, drifted away from thoughts of her still not over Raiha's death to the new apartment she was suddenly excited to see. "Really? That's great! We can take Ganko along with us and let her see the house for herself too."

"Yeah, we could bring her with us." She said before taking a sip from her drink and then stuffing some pieces of chips in her mouth.

"So, when are you planning to move in?" Yanagi asked her, her mind completely forgetting about her worries earlier. From what she could see, Fuuko looked like she was done mourning and weeping for her late boyfriend and that was all Yanagi would like to see.

"Well, I'm thinking about moving in next week. I still have to pack some things up and rummage through my things at the attic. I also have to decide what to bring and which one to throw out so I won't be carrying junks over my new house."

"I could help you if you want." Yanagi offered although she really wasn't that sure that she could help Fuuko out for the whole week. There is the preschool she has to attend to and she can't bring herself to sacrifice that.

Fuuko saw the look of hesitation in Yanagi's eyes and knew exactly that her friend wouldn't be that much of a help for her for the whole week. Unlike her, Yanagi is committed to her job and it's her responsibility to make sure that everything is going well at the preschool.

"It's okay Yanagi." She softly said. "I understand that you have to work. Maybe Ganko could help me with packing after school or if I could force Mi-chan, I could bring him to help me. Nevertheless, I'll be able to find someone who could help me up with things."

"I'm really sorry I couldn't be of much help Fuuko." Yanagi apologized. "By the way, when are you planning to look for a job?"

Fuuko shrug her shoulders. She hasn't put much thought on that. If it wasn't for Yanagi, she wouldn't have remembered about the job thing that she still has to do. "I don't know… Maybe after me and Ganko have settled into our new house. After all, I've got some extra money that I could spend until I could find a job."

Just then, Fuuko heard her cellular phone ringing and she rummages through her shoulder bag for it. When she got hold of her cell phone, she quickly pressed it against her ear and answered the call while Yanagi watched her from her seat.

"Hello." She answered through the mouth piece.

"Fuuko." A deep baritone voice she had been familiar with answered at the other line.

"Kurei." She acknowledged the caller. "Why did you call? I thought you were in the middle of an important meeting."

"I am but we got delayed so I decided to phone you up. How was the apartment hunting?"

"It's okay. I found a house three blocks away from Mi-chan's home."

There was a short pause before Kurei's voice answered her again from the other line. "I see."

Then another pause and Fuuko assumed that he was probably scanning through his files and that she was becoming a disturbance to him, although he wouldn't admit that to her. "Look, you're probably doing something important so I'll go now." She said but before she could hang up, Kurei's voice stopped her.

"No wait!" Kurei's voice sounded as if he was panicking from something she can't name. "Listen, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

This time, it was FUuko's turn to pause, carefully weighing down his words and recovering herself from the shock she received.

_Baka! Why should you be shocked? It's just a friendly invitation so why decline his offer. Besides, you used to do that way back five years ago._

"Sure, why not?" she answered while all the while telling herself that it would be just like before.

"I'll pick you at your apartment at around seven thirty."

"Okay then. See you." She dismissed him then put her cell back in her purse.

When she raised her eyes, Yanagi was giving her a different look as if she was telling her that she should tell her what the phone call was about.

"That was Kurei." She fed the information to her friend so as to dismissing the prying look she was giving her. "He asked me to have dinner with him."

"Nothing romantic?" Yanagi asked with a hopeful glitter in her eyes that what she was thinking might be true. After all, Kurei seems to show a special liking to her friend.

Fuuko gave her a bewildered look. "No. Why would you think that? It would be just like the old times when he and I would decide to have a friendly dinner together."

"Just a friendly dinner?" Yanagi inquired even more.

"Yup. Just a friendly dinner." She said firmly, trying to convince Yanagi and probably herself.

After all, she could still recall the way Kurei kissed her during their camp. She was used to him doing that, of course, but she suddenly has this feeling after he kissed her that the kiss he gave her wasn't friendly anymore and she wouldn't want the dinner to end up like that. She wanted it to end just like the way they end it five years ago. Besides, Kurei couldn't like her that way. He just couldn't.

* * *

Kurei put his phone down when Fuuko ended their call. Honestly, he wanted to stay on the phone so much longer but Fuuko hurriedly put the phone down, leaving no choice but to end the call and stare blankly at the vast expanse of building towers from his office window.

He never expected Fuuko to agree almost immediately and without having second thoughts. From what happened and from what he said to her during their get-together, he expected her to decline his offer or lie about something she has to do and couldn't wait even though it's just watching an old movie in her apartment. Maybe, for her, it would be just like the old days, when he invites her to dinner with just the two of them or with Raiha to tag along, and just dine like old friends do. But for him, even during those times, it wasn't just a friendly dinner. It was a dinner that he would always remember. It was a single moment of the night wherein he has the chance to be with her.

Silently, the door to his office opened and a tall, lean frame entered, making his way towards the chair by his table and settling him self comfortably.

"What brings you here, Joker?" Kurei sternly asked the new comer who all the while thought he was able to enter unnoticed.

"How did you know noticed me? I entered the room as quiet as possible." Joker's voice mirrored surprise and incredulity.

"Well, then, you might not be that silent. Besides, it doesn't mean that once I've retired from what I do before, my senses won't be that sensitive anymore." He said, walking towards a mini refrigerator and pulling out a bottle of brandy. He made his way back to the table, grabbing two glasses along the way, and took his seat on his executive chair.

"Still as sharp as ever, I see." Joker praised him.

Kurei felt silent, pouring down the glasses with the cold brandy in his hand and handing Joker his glass afterwards. Making a silent toss to his direction, Kurei brought the glass to his lips and let the brandy sip into his mouth. He swallowed the brandy and relished the warm feeling pouring down from his throat to the breach of his stomach brought about by the strong alcohol content of the brandy.

"Is there something that we should celebrate about, Kurei-sama?" Joker asked, taking his own sip of the brandy and setting the glass on Kurei's table.

Kurei raised an eyebrow and looked at him curiously. "Should there be reason for one to drink brandy?" he questioned.

"No." Joker answered before letting a playful smile sweep across his face. "But there must be a reason behind that glint in your eyes while you're drinking brandy."

Apparently, Joker was more observant than he thought he was. He never expected him to notice for he made sure his face was impassive before he turned around to face him. He must be getting softer than he thought he was. Even pulling up an impassive face doesn't work now for Joker.

Quickly looking away from Joker and focusing his gaze on the bookshelf to right, he tried to dismiss whatever thought was running in Joker's mind. "You're imagining things." He curtly said before taking a sip from his glass once again.

Joker wagged a finger at him and leaned over, trying to catch Kurei's eyes or even just see the expression on his face. "I'm not blind, you know." He said playfully.

Kurei's head snapped at him and his cold intense glare made him stop in mid action and lean back on his chair. He watched him as he nervously hold his glass, brought it to his lips and licked his lips from the taste of brandy that lingered on it. It seems that, despite the impassive face being a failure, his cold glare still makes them nervous. For all he knows, Joker might be telling himself now how he pushed him over the edge and taunt him to burn his alive. Kurei couldn't help but chuckle at this thought. He was, after all, faking the glare to see how he would react.

"That was not funny." Joker glared at him when he heard him chuckle and saw right through his act. "I thought you were going to burn me alive."

"Why the hell would I do that?" he asked, trying to stifle a chuckle. "Neon will definitely hate me if I do that."

He almost laughed when he saw Joker's face go from all shades of red until it was beet red and could rival the colour of blood upon the mention of Neon's name. Two days after their get together, it occurred to him that Joker was now courting Neon and Neon, who was now over her feelings for him before, seems to like him too. Kurei mentally gave them a month before they announce to the whole Uruha and the Hokage that they are officially together.

"That one isn't funny either." Joker commented, trying to compose himself and prevent the blood to going to his face. "By the way, you didn't give me the explanation I was asking a while ago."

Kurei raised his eyebrows at him, pretending to have forgotten what he was asking him a while ago.

"The reason behind that glint in your eyes." Joker reminded in a matter of fact tone.

"Oh, that." Kurei said as if it just occurred to him before taking another sip from his glass. "I told you you're just imagining things." He tried to cover up.

He saw Joker shrug his shoulders.

_Looks like he baited my explanation._

"Hey, don't forget about the night out tonight. All Uruha would be there." Joker reminded him before reaching out for the bottle of brandy and filling up his glass once again.

Kurei looked at him, somewhat dumbfounded by what he heard. He had totally forgotten about the night out scheduled for tonight. And to think he was even the one who scheduled it.

"Joker…" he started, not really sure how to tell him why he can't come without telling him the real reason.

"No. Don't give me that look. I could almost hear what you're bound to say next."

"Look. I really can't come. I had an engagement to tend to tonight and I couldn't cancel it."

"To whom?"

Kurei was about to say it's about his business when Joker cut him again.

"And don't tell me its business crap. We all know you don't have any engagements today, so spill."

Kurei sighed, knowing that there would be no telling lies now. He has to tell him the truth. Not that there was anything to hide from him anyway. Joker already knows about his hidden emotions for Fuuko and surely he would understand why he can't make it.

"I promised Fuuko I'll take her out to dinner tonight." He explained. "So if you'll be kind enough, you could host tonight's night out and go on with everything planned."

Joker gave him a chuckle. "I knew that Fuuko has something to do with that glint in your eyes a while ago." he stood up to leave but before he could even close the door behind him, he peeked inside and gave him one of his knowing smile. "Have fun."

Kurei stared at the door before him with a smile on his lips. Fun? The word wouldn't be even fit to describe what he was going to have tonight. It would be something deeper, worth remembering, though it would only be for him.

* * *

author's notes: well, here's chapter three... sorry it took me long while to update... anyweiz, as you can see the chapter still has no title... care to suggest an appropriate title?

by the way, for those twelve review that i got, thank you so much for those wonderful comment! really appriciate it! you guys know who you are!

there! read and review guys! ciao!


	5. giving chances and silent talks

A/N: i don't own FoR although i sometimes dream i do... hehehe!

many thanks to those who reviewed my story... didn't think you would actually look forward to the following chapters... thank you!

**Chapter 4:**

_I'm gonna dry my eyes…_

_Right after I get my one last cry…_

_-one last cry_

_Before I leave it all behind…_

_And give others a chance…_

* * *

Tokiya leaned his head backwards and momentarily closed his eyes; resting it from the stress it was receiving for a full-blown four hours of staring at the computer non stop and looking at the same screen. He breathed out an exhausted sigh and ran a hand through his silvery mane. After his fingers gently combed his hair, he let his arms fall lazily to his sides, feeling his body relax from the tension and stress it had been receiving.

_Stress and tension are supposed to be foreign words for someone who's in a vacation leave. Yet, they sound awfully familiar to me._ He thought wearily.

Four hours ago, when he came back home after dropping Fuuko at Yanagi's , he decided to do some advance research on the case he would be handling after his month vacation leave. Unfortunately, the advance research, that was meant to kill his time, gave him a headache that one should never have when one's in a vacation leave. The next case he was about to handle was too complicated, far too complicated than he could ever imagine. The complaint was given to him on the day he won his latest case and on the day he had signed his leave. The client insisted that he study the case during his vacation so they could discuss it properly when he comes back.

If it hadn't been a client, Tokiya would have given him his famous death glare and told him that he doesn't want to be bothered by his work during his leave. He had already spent two hours reading the complaint and two hours finding the appropriate charges that they should file against his client's rival and still he haven't come up with anything.

Slowly opening his eyes, Tokiya glanced towards the window of his room just in time to see the sky streaked with shades of orange from the setting sun. Slowly, a gentle breeze ruffled the leaves of the tree just outside his window, making some leaflets glide with the wind and gently dropped towards the ground.

Pushing his chair backwards, he stood up from his seat and went to his kitchen to get an ice cold water to cool his body. He glanced towards the clock on the table in his living room.

_6:30… I should be making dinner at this moment…_

He had thought of making a simple dinner but decided against it. Rather, he took out a cup of instant noodles and prepared it. After a few minutes, he went back to his room, carrying with him a cup of instant noodles and a glass of water. He set the glass of water on the space by his computer table and took with him the instant noodle as he slowly made his way to the window. He looked out and watched the world go around him while he just stood there as if time had stop for him.

He was about to turn around to get his glass of water when something, or rather, someone caught his baby blue eyes. There, at the opposite sidewalk from his house, was a girl, about the age of sixteen, walking ahead of her five other friends and laughing heartily as if there was nothing wrong with the world. One of her friends made a comment and this made the girl to go back to the group and playfully punched the guy who made the comment about her.

Somehow, someway, the girl reminded him of a certain girl seven years ago, laughing the same way as her and beating the hell out of guys who make rude comments about her. The girl reminded him of the source of Hokage's laughter and their model of loyalty to friends. She reminded him of Fuuko, the way she was seven years ago and he can't help but think about the way she acted that afternoon.

Fuuko had been acting very different during their whole trip while looking for an apartment. One moment she was all cheerful and delighted the next, she was quiet and distant. Somehow, he can't help but think why she had been acting strange and he can't help but suppose that it was because of Raiha. She was still not over him, he thought. He can see it clearly every time she was reminded something about him. Just like the thunder a while ago when it was raining and he is not stupid not to know that thunder would always remind her of him due to the fact that Raiha was using a madougu with the power of thunder. He saw the pain in her features reflected by the car window and she tried to hide it from him.

_But you failed, Fuuko. I can see right through you…_

He heaved out a deep sigh and went back to his table. He definitely knows when one was hiding behind a façade for he himself was also guilty of doing the same. The only difference between him and Fuuko is that he hides his emotions behind his coldness. Instead of letting his emotions show, he just put an impassive look and pay no attention to almost everyone around him. He doesn't wasn't to be around people and he hates it when they pry in his private life. His emotions were buried with his sister when she died and from that moment on, he withdrew himself from feeling anything. He let his coldness overtake his body. He became aloof. That's how he hid his emotions.

_While you, Fuuko, hide behind your smile…_

* * *

It was exactly eight in the evening when Fuuko and Kurei arrived at the restaurant that he had reserved for them. During the whole ride, Fuuko had been telling him about the things that happened to her back in Hiroshima. She was laughing during the whole process and Kurei couldn't help but think that maybe she was really over Raiha's death. She acts like she was the same Fuuko again, as if nothing's wrong and she could laugh out her problems. But after a few more minutes, as they neared the place of their dinner, Fuuko suddenly became less voluble. Her laughter suddenly became seldom during the passing seconds and he can't help but think that maybe she was thinking about Raiha but he dismissed the thought, supposing that maybe she was just tired and ran out of stories to tell.

After a few more minutes, Kurei parked the car at the space in front of the restaurant and turned off the engine.

"We're here." He said, turning towards Fuuko, who was looking out the window.

Fuuko heaved out a deep sigh and stared back at a familiar fancy dinner where she and Raiha used to go during their special days. She wasn't expecting that he'll take her there. What are the odds that among the fancy restaurant all over Tokyo, Kurei would have chosen that dinner? It was so minimal that her heart almost hammered out of her chest when she noticed the familiar streets and surroundings.

The next instant, Kurei had opened the door for her and escorted her to the doors of the restaurant. Even at that moment that they we're walking slowly towards the revolving doors, she had been silently calling out to the heavens, wishing that they'll turn to the other direction and eat else where. But they didn't for the next thing she knew, Kurei was sitting her in a table for two, adorned with a single rose the colour of blood in a fancy crystalline vase and maroon table napkins folded in an artistic way. A few inches away from the rose was a silver candle holder with a single white scented candle, its lights flickering and emanating a warm glow, also adding to the romantic aura of the place.

After they had settle down, the waiter handed down their menu and Kurei browsed through it, looking for a dinner that would suite the evening for them while deliberately glancing at Fuuko sitting opposite from him and watching as her cobalt blue eyes roamed the menu for her order. She was beautiful that night. Wearing a simple navy blue, spaghetti strapped dress and little jewellery; she looked like an angel who descended from the heavens to get to dinner with him tonight and he can't help but hide a smile with that thought on his mind.

At the opposite side of the table, Fuuko pretended to be reading the menu and browsing for her dinner, although there was really no need for her to do so for she had memorized it already due to the number of times that she had been there with Raiha. Instead, she was contemplating on how to tell Kurei that she feels uneasy in that dinner for it kept on reminding her of the days when she and Raiha was together. She was thinking for a way to get him to take her else where except the dinner they were in.

"Sir, ma'am, may I, please, get your order?" the waiter who was standing beside their table asked as he pulled out the order slip from his pocket, unconsciously breaking the trance between the two.

It was Kurei who looked up apologetically at the waiter, knowing that he had been too preoccupied by his thoughts that he had forgotten he was waiting for their order.

"Yes, please, I would like to have your special lasagna, squash soup and an iced tea." Kurei politely said, then, he turned to Fuuko and waited for her to tell the waiter her order.

Fuuko hesitated, but then when she saw Kurei turn towards her direction with a warm smile on his face, she decided against it and turned to the waiter. "I'll have what he'll have, please." she softly said to the waiter, dismissing all thoughts of asking Kurei to take her to another place instead.

"Oh, and could you please bring us a bottle of red wine please." Kurei added.

The waiter gave them a polite bow before leaving and went to the kitchen to tell the chef their orders.

Kurei and Fuuko were left in silence, pondering with their own thoughts for a while before Kurei decided to break the stillness between them and engage in a formal discussion.

"So how was your day?" he asked Fuuko as he set his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together and leaning his chin on them.

Fuuko gave him a shrug while her brains silently thought of an answer to give him. "It was okay despite the petty things that Mi-chan and I would disagree about which would result to our usual verbal swords play."

Kurei smiled at the way she told him each and every word. She said the words as if she was telling him a usual routine that no one would be surprised to hear about. But he has to admit that the usual verbal swords play was indeed a usual routine when Fuuko and Tokiya could be seen together. It was, as Recca had once whispered in his ears while Tokiya and Fuuko were engaging in their battle of the wits, the only way that they could get Tokiya to talk and show some emotions. Although, they have to admit, it was only Fuuko who had been successful in that aspect.

"How was the apartment you bought?" he asked, wanting to have her talk and watch as her eyes danced and her hands do some movement that he had known to like.

"Oh it was wonderful." Fuuko exclaimed, trying to project the emotion that should come with it. "It was cozy and spacious plus, it's three blocks away from Mi-chan's house." She grinned as if an evil thought had just crossed her mind.

Kurei raised an eyebrow at her with a playful smile on his lips. He didn't miss the grin that just passed her features. "Why are you grinning like that?" he asked, still with the playful grin on his face. "Are you thinking of something evil, Fuuko?"

Fuuko chuckeld at his question. "Imagine what Mi-chan's life would be if I would just pop into his house and, you know, just be loud until he has the urge to throw me out of the house."

"You're going to pester him?"

Fuuko nodded but when she saw the disbelief on Kurei's face, she hastily added. "Not all the time, of course, maybe once in a while. That guy needs some color in his life."

Kurei was about to say something else when the waiter arrived with their bottle of red wine placed in a bucket of ice and two wine glasses. He poured them their drink and set the glasses beside them.

"Your dinner will be brought to you shortly." The waiter politely said before turning around and went to another table to serve them.

A few more minutes lapsed and their dinner was brought to them. They ate quietly for a few minutes, savoring their delight for the food before them and letting the calm aura of the restaurant surround them.

When they were about to finish dinner, Kurei did what Fuuko never expected him to do. As a slow music slowly filled the room, Kurei pushed his chair aside and offered his hands to Fuuko.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, his eyes looking at hers directly that made her frozen with astonishment on her seat.

Fuuko stared back at him, feeling a déjà vu wash over her body, only at that time, it was Raiha who was standing at Kurei's place and he was the one smiling at her and asking her to dance with him.

Nervously, she tore her gaze from Kurei, hating the sudden emotions emerging from deep within her. "Kurei, I don't think it's—"

"Just this one dance Fuuko." He said, his voice almost pleading that Fuuko can't help but accept his offer and let her self be swayed onto the small dance floor in the middle of the restaurant.

Kurei wrapped his arm around Fuuko's waist, feeling the soft fabric of her dress against his palm, while his other arm held her hand, feeling her soft fingers curl against his. Slowly, he led her in an enchanting dance, gracefully gliding against the music and awing the audience watching them. Even those pair who had stood up to dance with them on the dance floor stood aside and watched them, sharing with them the enchanting moment.

Kurei's eyes never left Fuuko, even though all he was seeing was her purple locks blocking her eyes for she was looking down and seems to be preoccupied with every step she was taking either to prevent making a mistake and avoid accidentally stepping on his foot or due to the embarrassment she was hiding from all the people watching them. Still he kept his eyes focused on her, mesmerized by how soft she felt against his hands.

Several years ago, at the very same dance floor, Fuuko was also looking down at the floor for she was embarrassed. Everyone occupying the fancy restaurant was looking at her and Raiha as they both glided gracefully with the music. It was only after a minute of having her gaze focused on the dance floor and due to Raiha whispering in her ear that he looked like he dragged her to dance floor that she looked up and met his gaze and his warm smile. She didn't miss the usual amusement in his eyes and she couldn't help but feel relaxed against his body.

Now, however, she can't bring herself to look up even though she could feel Kurei's gaze on her. She was scared for she knows that when she looks up, it will not be Raiha's face that she would see but somebody else. She was scared that once she looks up, Kurei will see the look in her eyes and he would be able to read what she was feeling, destroying the façade she had brought up against herself. Suddenly, she felt his warm breath against her ear, sending shivers to run down her spine and almost made her gasp in surprise.

"From the looks our audience is giving us, they must be thinking that I forced you to dance." He whispered against her ear, oblivious of the way he was making her feel.

The same words… exactly the same words he told her.

_You forced me to dance with you, though you don't know it. _She almost retorted back but held herself. Mustering all her courage, she slowly lifted her head, feeling her heart drum wildly against her chest and subconsciously telling herself that it will not be Raiha's face that would greet her but Kurei's. Her eyes slowly drifted from his thin lips curved to give out a warm smile to his nose to his pale blue eyes looking at her in amusement. _Just like the way Raiha did._

Kurei watched Fuuko's head slowly lift up to meet his gaze. For a moment that their eyes met, he thought he saw pain and sadness in those cobalt pools but with a blink of an eye, it vanished, replaced by something unreadable. The flicker in her eyes changed so fast that he thought he just imagined it. Still, he held her gaze, watching himself mirrored on those cobalt pools that seem to glimmer against the lights of the place they were currently dancing at. He could feel her tensing at the intense of his gaze and he could almost guess that she would tear her gaze from his once again if he doesn't make her comfortable.

"You dance well." He commented just to have her relax against his gaze.

Fuuko, grateful for the interruption he gave, smiled at him and felt herself relax against his frame. "So do you."

Kurei just smiled back at her but despite the way he wanted to have her in his arms a little longer, the music slowly stopped and he has no choice but to lead her back to their table. At their wake, they could hear the other couples dinning comment on how good they look together and he can't help but feel somewhat elated with what he was hearing.

When they finished dinner, they drove back silently towards Fuuko's place. During the ride back home, Fuuko couldn't help but think at how similar Kurei is to Raiha. Both could make her feel calm with just the mere stare of their eyes on hers. Both could make her feel safe against their frame and both could make her heart beat wildly against her chest.

Slowly, she turned her head towards Kurei's direction and watched his face as he concentrated on his driving. Thoughts kept playing on her mind about Raiha and the things he was doing for her before and Kurei and the things he was doing to her now. It was like they were just repeating the same things only it was not Raiha doing things for her but Kurei.

_Are you imitating Raiha?_

_Why are you doing this to me?_

_Kurei…_

_I don't deserve this…_

_I don't want to remember…_

_Onegai…_

"You're staring at me." His voice broke the thoughts in her head as a soft smile slowly softened his features.

Embarrassed, Fuuko tore her gaze from him and focused it on the road before them. She tried to think of anything to say but her mind seemed to be in great turmoil that she can't even think of a decent thing to say.

"Don't worry. I don't mind it at all." Kurei said when he noticed her discomfort at his comment.

"Why are you being so kind?" she asked, wanting to find the answers to the questions in her head.

"Why do you think I'm doing this?" Kurei challenged her.

_To replace Raiha…_ She wanted to say but her voice felt like it was stuck on her throat and she can't seem to voice out what she was thinking.

Without them knowing it, they were suddenly nearing Fuuko's house and Kurei knew that the answer to their question would remain unanswered until such time that Fuuko would be able to find the answers on her own. He parked the car directly in front of Fuuko's house and stepped out to open the door for her.

Just as she was about to pass him without even a word, he stretched his hand to touch her gently on her elbow and stopping her from walking away from him. He waited for her to turn her head to him but she didn't. Heaving out a deep sigh, he stared at her features, gently illuminated by the moonlight from the velvet sky above them.

"I'm not doing this to replace him in your heart. I'm doing this so you could somehow, someway, find a place for me in there." He whispered against her ear and reluctantly let go of her elbow and watched her as she entered her abode.

* * *

Fuuko stared back at the single frame where a picture, that seems to be taunting her, was placed. It was a photo of her enveloped in Raiha's arms and smiling softly at the camera and she can't help but imagine the times the two of them had together.

Before, it was Raiha who was there to cheer her up during those rare occasions that she can't find anything good to smile about. It was also him who would hold her against his frame and make her feel contented. It was also him who would whisper soothing words against her ear and help relieve the tension in her body and at the same time make the hairs on her neck stand.

Now, however, it was Kurei who was doing those things to her. She had thought that maybe he was imitating Raiha so he could be like him but after further brooding, she knew that Kurei wouldn't be the one who would imitate someone just to have her like him. Rather, he would initiate such actions that he knew would please his companion and make her like him just the way he is. It's just that the way Raiha presented himself was somewhat similar to the way Kurei was presenting himself to her.

_Maybe it's an Uruha thing. After all, they had been together for such a long time that they might have adapted each other's personality._

Dismissing all the thoughts in her head, Fuuko slowly got up but instead of proceeding to her bedroom, she reached for her purse once again and headed for the door. Gently, she clicked the lock of the door and stormed away from the house, leaving the quiet abode in her wake.

After a few minutes of walking, Fuuko found herself along the familiar pathway of the memorial park where Raiha's remains were buried five years ago. Although it was unlikely for someone like her to be walking in a cemetery at such late hour, Fuuko took no heed of it and slowly traced her steps to Raiha's grave.

After a couple of minutes more of walking, she was finally standing before a cold cement stone where Raiha's name was carefully engraved. She stared at it for a long time until such time that she could feel the tears pricking at the back of her eyes as memories of him flashed in her mind and she can't help the strong emotions she felt for him resurface in her chest. Yet, she held back the tears, biting at her lower lip to prevent them from quivering and avoid the snuffles to escape her lips.

_Raiha…_

_Onegai…_

_Tell me what to do…_

"Do you think I should give him a chance?" she softly whispered before the cold gravestone as tears started pooling her eyes, still trying to be strong to stand up right before his grave.

But her strength could only hold her for a little time. Finally, her legs gave way from the sudden weakness her body was feeling due to the emotions bottled up in her chest. Slowly, her knees buckled as her body gently fall down to the cold, moist ground, her strength completely drained from her body.

Slowly and gently, she closed her eyes, feeling a teardrop escape her eyes and ran down her smooth cheeks. But her closed eyes didn't avoid another teardrop to escape and pool with the first tear at the base of her jaw until the combined weight of the two tiny bubble dropped from her face to the ground below her, forming a perfect sphere stain on the russet sand below her. Having no strength to hold back her tears and knowing that her attempt will be futile nonetheless, she let the tears fall freely down her cheeks and moist the ground below her.

For the second time around, she cried before his grave, emptying all the emotions she bottled up in her chest and somehow wishing that he could feel her grief.

* * *

Kurei stared at the wall opposite from his bed where he was sitting at. His thoughts lingered back to the dinner he just had with Fuuko, mostly to the dance they shared that evening.

It was the very first time he had ever danced with a woman and actually liked it. The dances that he had attended before were mostly for social gatherings and dancing was expected from a gentleman that he is. But none the less, those dances were just social, nothing personal.

Yet, the dance they shared that night still lingered in his mind, especially the way Fuuko's body felt against his tall frame. He could still feel her fingers curled against his and he could still feel her body swaying gently against his. He could even still smell the mild scent of her perfume and the smell of her hair rivaling that of roses in full bloom.

Without him knowing it, a soft smile was lingering on his lips; making anyone who would see him in such state would think he's crazy. After all, who would think that a man smiling at his wall is sane enough to even notice that there's nothing to smile about?

But he didn't care. He was, after all, in his room and no one would see him in such state, that he was perfectly sure. From the opposite wall, his gaze went to the side table, unconsciously grazing on a small photo frame of the Uruha, including Raiha.

Somehow, despite how happy he was feeling deep inside, he was still bothered, thinking that maybe he was betraying his former teammate by making his move on Fuuko. But then, he made a promise to his grave when he was buried that he would continue taking care of Fuuko for him and that he would give him the care he used to give to her when he was till alive. The only thing that was keeping him from doing so was Fuuko, herself.

But still, he would wait, he would wait until such time that she could learn to make her heart feel once again. He would wait until she could find a place for someone new in her heart. And he brought that thought with him to the deep slumber pulling him.

* * *

The stillness of the night comforted him as he made his way back to where he came from an hour ago. Despite the deepness of the night, he still went out to visit her and be at peace again. He needed that because he was once again hunted by nightmares that he had tried so hard to push aside but still come to bother him.

Softly, a soft, warm breeze blew his way, playing with the locks of his hair tied in a simple ponytail and he can't help feel the wind grazing against his soft skin. Slowly lifting his eyes to the velvet sky, he watched as the stars and the full moon made the velvet sky look so bright. Slowly, he withdrew his gaze from the sky and decided to proceed back to his car parked by the entrance of the cemetery.

However, his senses caught something familiar, causing him to stop from his tracks and locate where it came from. As his head slowly turn to the right, he noticed a familiar feminine figure standing up from the ground facing a gravestone that seemed awfully familiar to him.

For a whole minute, he watched the figure from ten steps away, contemplating on whether he should approach her or let her be and waiting for her to move from her place. Besides, his mind was also wondering what she was doing in that place in such late hour of the night.

With a shake of his head, he dismissed all the questions in his mind regarding the woman with her back on him, telling himself that it wasn't his business to tend to. Yet, he felt his foot getting heavy as he took his first step forward to leave. It was as if his own feet was against the idea his mind was commanding his body. Besides, though he keeps on ignoring it, he could feel something inside him that wanted to stay with her for a while and somehow, share her grief.

_Share her grief? Where the hell did that came from?_

He was about to take another step when a soft feminine voice broke the stillness of the night and ring through his ears like bells tingling softly against the night air, speaking that of the nickname she was used to call him.

"Mi-chan." Her voice drifted to him, making him stop on his tracks and turn his head towards the direction of the feminine figure he was watching just a while ago.

He watched her back, her shoulders lifting as she heaved out a deep sigh before turning around to face him with a soft smile plastered on her face.

_Fake._ He thought as soon as his sharp eyes caught her eyes swollen from crying and the tear marks left she failed to wipe from her cheeks.

"I didn't know you'll be here at this kind of hour." She said making her way towards the place he was standing at.

He gave her an odd look, that of which scrutinizing someone of feelings she was trying to hide. But he found nothing. Damn! She could hide her emotions very well; in fact, she even surpassed his ability when it comes to such things.

"Did you pay your respects to your sister?" she asked once again, stopping in front of him and waiting for his answer.

Still, he didn't budge, giving her the same odd look he gave her a while ago.

"Why are you giving me that look, Mi-chan?" she asked him.

He contemplated on whether he should tell her that he knew she was faking it or just let her believe that he baited her act. He chose the former, replacing the odd look on his face with something unreadable.

"It is late already." He said, thinking of nothing else to say.

"I know. I just came to pay my respect to Raiha. I haven't been here for five years." she told him, all the while avoiding her eyes to come in contact with his.

"Do you have a ride home?" he asked, ignoring her futile attempts to hide the things he had already seen.

He watched as her head slowly shook from side to side. Heaving out a deep sigh, he motioned her to follow him. "I'll take you home."

He felt her following beside him but her presence seemed to have left her body. She was just walking beside him yet, from the corners of his eyes, he could see that her mind was somewhere else. Wherever it is, he doesn't know.

_Just what the hell do you think you're doing Tokiya? _He asked himself before letting out another deep sigh as he continued to lapse in silence while making their way back to his car.

The drive back home was still, both paying respects to each other's privacy, knowing that their thoughts are both drifting to those they just visited at the cemetery a while ago. But when Fuuko saw that they were about to turn left at the street that would lead her to her old apartment, she turned her head to Tokiya and broke the stillness between them.

"Would you mind if you take me to the park?" she asked, hoping that she wouldn't be receiving one of his odd looks once again.

Tokiya curiously tore his gaze from the road and turn it to the girl sitting on his passenger's side. What the hell was this girl thinking?

"The park? At this late hour?" he asked as if she just asked him something ridiculous.

Well, for him, going to the park at this late hour is ridiculous enough for her to earn that look.

Fuuko nervously tore her gaze from Tokiya. She felt like she was a small girl being scolded by her father for saying something stupid. "I don't want to go home yet." She reasoned out and she can't help but make herself sound like a little girl who was reasoning out to her father.

Tokiya swallowed the urge to ask her why she doesn't want to go home yet and just followed what she told him. When they reached the park, he parked the car by the parking space and turned off the engine.

"Thanks Mi-chan." Fuuko said, giving him a warm smile before turning to open the door and get out of the car.

Tokiya hesitated for a while but after a few seconds of pondering, he opened his own car door and let himself out. _This is so not like you Tokiya. What the hell are you doing?_

The moment Fuuko gently closed the car door, she heard another car door closing and she looked up to see that Tokiya had gone out of the car too. She gave him a questioning look that he just evaded, focusing his eyes on the hood of his car.

"It's dangerous for a woman like you to be walking around the park alone." He said, still avoiding her gaze.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw her lips twitch into an amused smile and he suddenly have the urge to bang his head on the hood of his car until he was senseless to punish himself for doing such thing.

"A woman? Five years ago, I was tomboy brat Kirisawa and now you're calling me a woman." Fuuko said, amazed at the way Tokiya was being gentleman for her.

Silently, they took their walk around the empty park. Everything was silent save for the constant ruffling of the leaves due to the warm air passing their way and playing with the strands of their hair and the constant clashing of their shoes on the cemented pathway they were walking on. They stopped before a bench facing the swings and silently took their seat while trying to hide the amusement of finding out that they both thought of the same things even without talking.

From another person's perspective, they looked like two people who don't know each other at all for they were both sitting at the opposite ends of the bench. One was tilting her head to look up the sky while the other slightly bowed his head and closed his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest. Yet there were bonds left unseen between the two figures. Bonds that connect them despite the silence they were sharing and despite the way they think they don't have any connection at all. They have that connection, that's for sure, but they are either too stubborn to see or too stupid to realize.

"It's really nice of you to accompany me here, Mi-chan." Fuuko whispered against the wind as her eyes slowly traced the stars glittering like tiny diamonds against velvet satin.

Tokiya chose not to say anything, somehow, feeling comforted by just hearing her voice breaking the deafening silence around them.

"I always liked it here especially during the nights when I needed to think. The silence just, somehow, makes me comfortable." She continued when she realized that he wasn't going to say anything.

Then silence enveloped them once again and this time, neither dared to break it as both lapse into their own thoughts.

Fuuko continued staring at the sky, tracing her memories along with the stars glittering against the black background. She contemplated on some things she should think over. Raiha had been dead for five years and despite the way she escaped to forget, she just came back, unsuccessful. But just a few hours ago, when she was kneeling before his grave, she finally found the strength to will herself to try to forget about him. It would be unfair for him and for those who are around her. Those thoughts led her to think about Kurei's proposal to her earlier that night when he asked her for a chance.

_I should give him a chance… after all, the fastest way to forget someone is to learn to love another, right?_ She convinced herself despite her conscience telling her that it would be wrong to care for another just to use them to forget the one to whom her heart belongs to. _From now on, I'll move on and give others a chance. Surely that would what you would want me to do, right Raiha?_

Tokiya just sat beside her in silence, his head still bowed and his eyes still closed. Deep inside he was starting to like her company already. Yes, she isn't the loud boisterous Fuuko he once knew but he could feel that old Fuuko hiding deep inside her, waiting for the time that somebody would bring her out to the world again.

A few more moments passed, both feeling comfortable with each other's silence, until Tokiya decided to break the silence that was starting to bother him, not because he was annoyed with her company, but because he was starting to like her company and it scared him somehow.

"Let's go." He said, or rather commanded, and was oddly surprised when Fuuko stood up and walked beside him.

After fifteen more minutes, Tokiya's car stopped in front of Fuuko's apartment and he waited for her alight his car.

Fuuko gently opened the car door, flashing Tokiya a brief smile before letting herself out and walking towards the door without much of a word to him. Gently, she closed the door behind her, her frame leaning against the wooden access as she slowly felt a part of the weight she was carrying be lifted from her shoulders. How could it be that the moment both had shared in complete silence actually lifted such weight from her shoulders the way one would have told his friend about his huge problem?

All the while, Tokiya waited outside for her door to be close behind her before he geared up the car and slowly drove away, surprisingly feeling a little lighter than he had ever felt for such a long time since his sister died. And as he drove along the streets, he couldn't help but think if a certain purple haired monkey has somethingto do with it.

* * *

A/N: well, that's the end of the chapter... hmm... tell me what you think about it ok? also, you can give out suggestions for the story... tnx!

please read and review!


	6. attic moments

A/N: well, it been a long while since i have updated this story... sorry guys for making you wait... hehehe! peace! anyweiz, for athose who reviewed my story, thank you so much for spending time and reading this! i really appreciate it! hope you guys like this new installment for the story!

read on!

standard disclaimer applied...

**

* * *

Chapter 5: **

_I live now in a world_

_Where I have to hide my heart…_

_Hiding and waiting…_

_Until someone finds me and set me free…_

* * *

Twenty-three long years of staying in this world and meeting people, each sharing with her a treasured memory that will forever be in her heart and mind and entrusting with her precious things that she will keep to remind her of those days. Sentimental, yes, seven years ago, keeping even a candy wrapper that was given to her by a little boy she saved from being run over by a truck. Hell, she even kept her very first canine tooth that was extracted from her mouth in a small container given to her by her dentist. That was how sentimental the tough Fuuko Kirisawa was. 

But now, as she rummages through the things that she had kept in her apartment's attic, she can't believe how she had managed to keep all those things. She can't even remember why she was keeping some things in there and what memories were behind those things for some happened when she was just a kid playing on the swings in the park.

_I should have cleaned the attic years ago! With all this stuff, it will take me a whole year before I'm done!_ Fuuko thought exasperatedly as she rummages in the box, taking out papers after papers and things after things.

"Fuuko-neechan, as much as I hate to leave you with all these stuffs, I really have to get going now." Ganko's voice sounded behind another pile of boxes where she told her to arrange all those old clothes that were carelessly stuffed inside four large boxes. "My classmates just sent me an SMS and they need me for the project our professor gave us last week."

Fuuko heaved out a deep sigh knowing that she would be alone rummaging through those things and it will definitely take her forever until she was done. No matter how much Ganko had wanted to help her all through out, she knew the girl has school work to do and her cell phone had been ringing an hour ago.

"It's okay Ganko. I think I could manage through all this." Fuuko said, looking at the boxes still piled up and waiting to be kept or dispatched from the house. _Or maybe not._

"I'll just send someone to help you up here if I happen to pass one of the guys on my way." Ganko said as she emerged behind another set of boxes piled in front of Fuuko. "With all these boxes, you won't be able to finish this alone."

"Thanks." She replied, giving the teenaged girl a rueful smile. "You can go now. And don't forget to close the door behind after you left."

With a nod of her head sending her blonde tresses tumbling down her shoulders, Ganko politely kissed her good-bye before dashing down from the attic until such time that Fuuko heard the definite click of the door behind her.

Again, she heaved out a deep sigh and let her gaze travel around the attic, fixing on every box that her eyes could set upon. Knowing that she would have to do the very tiring and not to mention, heavy task before her, she settled herself on a sitting position on a low stool and resumed rummaging through the box before her.

After taking out a few more pieces of paper with childish drooling on it, an old cloth that looked like a dress for a doll, a pencil case with five short pencils in it, Fuuko came upon a familiar old box with flowery designs engraved on its lid. Gently, as if fearing that handling it a little too careless will break it apart, she lifted the box from atop of the other things in side the carton and brushed off the dust from its lid.

For a few seconds, she just stared at it, her brows furrowed as her mind recalled what was inside the box. Little by little, the vague recollections in her mind became clear and she found herself tracing the carvings on the lid with her fore and index finger as her mind recalled the contents of the box. When her fingers found the latchet of the box, she gently flipped it open and slowly opened the lid.

A few seconds later, she was staring at inside the box, which turned out to be an old jewelry box, particularly at the necklaces in it. Lifting her fingers from the lid, she took hold of a black choker and a necklace with a single pearl pendant that she usually wore before back when she was still in high school. She never took them off, even when they were fighting at the UBS; she still wore them as if she wouldn't be complete without those two. For some, her actions would mean to them that those necklaces were very important to her, perhaps given by her mother and she just couldn't bear the thought of not wearing them. But the truth is it was a reminder for her, a painful reminder of the day she started pretending.

_

* * *

Flashback... _

_A solitary tear escaped from those dark blue orbs that used to beam with happiness. The face that used to be filled with so much glee was suddenly filled with so much sadness that whoever would look at her would probably feel the depth of her sadness._

"_Papa, why did you leave me? Why Papa?" the purple haired twelve year old murmured against her breath as she watched her father's coffin was being lowered six feet under the ground._

_Slowly, she traced her steps toward the lowered coffin, in her hand was a white rose clutched against her chest, moisten by her tears that were still cascading down her cheeks. When she was already two steps from the burial ground, she gently extended the hand that was clutching the rose and slowly let go of the white flower, watching as it slowly floated against the wind, towards the coffin below._

_However, before she could even watch as the flower land on her father's coffin, she suddenly felt a vicious grip on her right arm and she was being hurled around until her dark blue orbs met her mother's wrathful eyes._

"_Stop crying, you stupid girl! Your father's dead and no one's going to baby you this time!" her mother shouted at her face, pointing her finger at her to the point that she feels that her mother was going to poke her eye out._

_Then she was suddenly thrown backwards, her body harshly hitting the ground below her. Before she could even look up to her mother, something was thrown at her face. It didn't hurt her at all but she could feel it lightly touch her cheeks before dropping just beside her hand._

_When she was able to open her eyes, she saw her mother walking towards her car and speeding away, not even bothering to look at her and wait for her to pull herself off the ground._

"_Mama! Wait for me!" she cried out, getting up to her feet and attempting to run after her mother._

_She ran after the car, although knowing that her attempts are futile. She was just hoping that her mother would be back to who she was before her father died. She was just hoping that her mother would stop the car and when she emerges from it, she would hug her and tell her how sorry she was for treating her badly since her father died. She was just hoping that her mother would be back to normal and smile at her again._

_But she didn't and all she could do was run after the car, calling out her mother, until a strong, but gentle hand hugged her from behind and pulled her close to his chest._

"_Stop it now Fuuko. She already left and you won't catch up with her by just running like that."_

_Fuuko turned her teary eyes to the owner of the voice and saw the familiar face of Recca's father, also a very good friend of her father. Beside him was also a forlorn Recca who was holding out something at her._

"_This is what your mother threw at you a while ago." Recca said, waiting for her to take it._

_Slowly she reached for whatever Recca was holding out to her, only to find her father's necklace placed gently on her palm. It was a necklace with a single pearl pendant that his father used to wear ever since she could remember. Seeing the necklace on her hands only revived the memories of her father and made fresh tears cascade down her face. Ever since that day, she started wearing the necklace to remind her of the memories of her father and to remind her of the start of her big masquerade._

_A year before the UBS, her mother died, still filled with rage for her father, leaving to her a black choker, which she also wore to remind her of a mother who never loved her for the last four years, bowing to continue the masquerade she started the day of her father's burial._

* * *

Fuuko lightly clenched the necklaces on her palm, remembering that awful memory. Those were the reminder of her own misery, of the things that she was hiding behind her smile. Feeling those two necklaces around her neck reminds her of her big masquerade. 

But when she met Raiha and they got together, it was only then that she felt the smile on her face truly came from her heart. It was only then that she forgot her misery and her past. It was only then that she felt secured again, like no step dad would be able to hurt her ever, she felt the love and care that no mother had given her but most of all she felt secured and deeply cared for just like the way her father had made her feel. And it was all because of Raiha. It was also then that she removed the necklaces from her neck and placed it in the old jewelry box, all the while, thinking that she would never have to hide behind her smiles again because she now has Raiha to ensure her happiness.

But now is a different story. Raiha's gone and she was once again hiding behind her smiles and her laughter. It was just like before when her father died and before she met Raiha. She was back there once again.

Once more, Fuuko placed the necklaces around her slender neck to remind her of her past and, in addition to that, to remind her of the one who rescued her from her past who has now gone to rest. She started her big masquerade the second time around but deep within her, she was hoping that someone would come and pull off the mask she was wearing and make her smile from the heart again.

* * *

"No." Tokiya firmly held his ground and refused to look at the person before him. 

Earlier that afternoon, he had all thoughts of spending the whole day in his apartment and lazily slumping himself against the sofa. He was firmly decided to take a whole day rest and act like a lazy bum that he really isn't. Then came this person and ask him a favor that he would gladly decline without second thoughts.

"Demo…" soft voice, pleading and coaxing him to give up the fight.

"No, and that's final." He said more firmly, shooting the person with one of his famous death glare.

He, then, regret the act the next second when a puppy-dog and almost teary eyes greeted him, causing him to look away almost immediately.

_Damn! Why do they have to have such powers like that against man!_

A sobbed escaped her lips and Tokiya flinched at the sound. Just one more word from her and he'll bend down to her desires like a slave gladly taking orders from his master.

"Onegai…" came the last word he was anticipating followed by a sob that he wish she just muffled.

_Damn!_

"Why me? Why not Recca, or Koganei or that big oaf Domon?" he asked, stalling for time and hopefully finding a good excuse for him not to go.

"Well, Recca-niichan has work to do while Koganei has a term paper to work on to and if you can't recall, Domon-niichan is still on his wrestling tour. You're the only one here who—"

"Okay, I get the picture. Fine, I'll go."

After his statement, he found himself engulfed in a tight embrace and was being humbly thanked for what he just agreed to do.

"Arigato!" Ganko chirped happily as she locked him in a tight embrace and earned a slight blush to cross his face.

Seconds later, he felt her pull herself from him and he quickly suppressed the blush and put on a scowl on his face, despite the fact that it would not have any effect on her at all. It has something to do with the word immune, he thought.

"I'll make sure I'll return the favor someday." Ganko continued, obviously ignoring the scowl he was giving her.

"You don't have to." He said, turning his face away from the girl's view.

He felt Ganko wrapping her arms around him once more for a quick hug before turning around to leave. Just as he thought the girl would say no more, she turned to him once again and shouted from her distance something that just irked him more not because the girl just commanded her on doing something but because he was sure that he would gladly do as she said so just as to not make her feel bad.

"Go there now, okay! She needs a man up there for those boxes!" she said before waving at him and walked away with her friends.

As Tokiya closed the door behind him, he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh, thinking how on earth he could possibly be always stuck with her. First it was Yanagi, now it was Ganko and he was not able to say no to both occasions.

_I must be really getting soft…_ He thought as his fingers reached out for his car keys on the kitchen table and made his way to Fuuko's house.

* * *

Fuuko was placing the box where she found the old jewelry box in on top of those that are to be thrown when she heard the front door open. As soon as hearing the noise, Fuuko's brows furrowed, knowing that Ganko wouldn't be home until dinner and someone just walked into her apartment without even knocking. 

Cautiously, she made her way downstairs, her body prepared for a fight just in case it was an intruder or a thief or something. Just when she was about to pass the living room, somebody called her name that made her turn around so quickly.

"Kirisawa." Tokiya said as soon as he saw her walking into the living room.

He had been in the kitchen, scrutinizing the things scattered on the dinning table which, he guessed, came from the attic and they decided to keep it after washing it off from all the dirt and unnecessary stains.

"Don't ever do that again! You just scared the living day lights out of me!" Fuuko gasped, glaring at Tokiya for a few minutes before realizing that she should be asking him a question instead of glaring at him. "What are you doing here?"

Tokiya looked away from her gaze, suddenly finding the things on the table much more interesting than her cobalt pools. Not that those eyes were interesting to him before. "Ganko sent me. She said something about cleaning the attic and you needing some extra assistance." He spat out the words so bitterly as if he was threatened with his life if he is not to help her.

Fuuko was a bit surprised to hear that. When Ganko said something about sending help for her, she never thought that Tokiya would be the one showing up at her doorstep. She was kind of expecting Recca or Koganei or one of Ganko's guy friends that she used to bring over with the rest of her group before.

Despite his head turned away from her, he could feel her questioning gaze on him and he was getting irritated by it.

"If you're going to continue looking at me like that, then I guess you don't need help at all." He said, putting his hands in his pockets and making his way from the front door.

"No wait!" Fuuko quickly stopped him by putting her hands on his arm and quickly went in front of him before he could even take another step. "I need your help up there. And besides, you don't want to see Ganko pissed off because you broke you promise to her don't you?"

Tokiya stared down at the girl before him, wondering how on earth she could possibly be able to blackmail him two times in a week. Either he was getting too soft for his own demise or she was just god damn good at blackmailing people to her advantage.

"Fine." He spat out bitterly, knowing that there would be no other way out, before turning around and headed for the direction of the attic.

Fuuko looked at his retreating form, slightly amazed at how he gave up the fight quite easily. Quickly, she followed him suite and was walking beside him within seconds.

"Are you going to help me in that Mi-chan?" she asked, noticing the Armani suite he was wearing which looked so immaculate that if she owns one, she would have placed it somewhere where dust or even air can get into.

Upon hearing her question, he looked down at his suite and mentally cursed himself for not changing his clothes into something more appropriate for cleaning. Surely, Armani isn't the most appropriate clothes when it comes to encountering dust and cobwebs and god knows what else up in the attic.

Just then, he saw Fuuko tossing him a shirt after she came out of her room. He caught the shirt in both hands before looking at Fuuko and silently asking her where she found the shirt.

"It's Recca's. I borrowed it from him once but was not bale to give it back. You can change in my room if you're too conscious. I'll be up in the attic." She said, smiling slightly before turning around and make her way to the attic. "Don't worry. I assure you it's free of monkey fleas."

Just then, before she could even turn around, she found him looking somewhere below her neck, particularly the necklaces she was wearing. Suddenly, she felt conscious under his gaze and found her arms reaching up to grab the pearl pendant in her small fingers, the attic completely forgotten for a few moments.

"Haven't seen you wear those for a long time." He observed, finally removing his gaze from the necklaces and focused on placing his suite neatly on the chair by the kitchen.

She choose not to say anything anymore, knowing that Tokiya wasn't the kind of person who would want to listen to her life story and he wasn't the kind of person she feels comfortable of telling it. Instead, she hastily turned around and made her way towards the attic.

After a few minutes of rummaging into a newly opened box, Fuuko felt Tokiya's presence behind her and she turned around and motioned him to sit opposite from her and help her rummage through the box.

Tokiya followed her, slightly amused at him self for taking orders from her without even voicing out one complaint despite how irritated he was feeling at the moment. He looked at the box before him filled with crumpled paper, broken toys and some memorabilia that she had kept for so long.

"Hey, staring at it won't get the job done." Fuuko said when she noticed that Tokiya was staring at the contents of the box before them.

With a quick glare thrown her way, Tokiya then preceded taking out crumpled paper and other stuff from the box, occasionally asking Fuuko if it was to be thrown or to be kept.

After they finished with the box, they put it on top of the other boxes that are to be kept. It turned out that the box contained some important documents that need to be kept.

Fuuko stretched out after putting the box away, feeling her body relax with the movement it was receiving. After all, her feet and her lower body part had been killing her already due from lack of movements. After turning her head from side to side to mildly relax it, she looked at Tokiya, who was standing beside her with his arms crossed over his chest and looking at the stuffs around the attic. She noticed a drop of sweat sliding down from the side of his forehead to the side of his cheek and she can't help but think that these kinds of stuffs aren't really his forte. What drove him to help her with these, she doesn't know but it's nice to know that he would help despite him being blackmailed into it. He is a man of honor after all and once he said he'll do it, he'll do it, blackmailed or not, just as to keep his word.

Tearing her gaze from him, she then looked around, deciding which one to look next, failing to notice his gaze drifting to her.

Tokiya looked at her as her gaze wandered around the attic, probably deciding which one should follow. For a much unknown reason to him, he found himself studying her appearance. He noticed the tiny beads of sweat dripping down her forehead and grazing the side of her cheeks and making some strands of her purple tresses stick onto her skin. He noticed that, despite the messed up order of her hair tied in a ponytail, it still framed her face in a splendid manner that just let him stare in awe.

Upon realizing that he had been staring at her, he quickly withdrew his gaze and waited instead for her next instructions with regards to the boxes scattered around the attic.

"Maybe you could help me with these boxes here Mi-chan." Fuuko finally said while taking steps towards the last two boxes that they have to look into. "Let's start with the large box first before the small one."

Tokiya followed her and poised himself opposite from her and prepared to lift one box from the pile. When they were able to put it on the floor in one piece, they opened the box and rummages through it. This took them another thirty minutes for the items in the box are her old clothes and she sorted out those that she will give to Ganko.

The next box was what Fuuko hadn't been expecting. The moment the flip of the cartons was opened, she immediately noticed familiar things that Raiha had given to her when they were still together.

There was a snowy white teddy bear that she remembered he gave to her when they first had their first date at the amusement park and Raiha won from the target shooting booth. There was also a small heart-shaped pillow that reads 'Forgive Me?' which Raiha gave to her when they first had a misunderstanding. On top of the small pillow was a blue piece of cloth that Raiha had always wore around his forehead. He gave that to her in exchange for her own headband she used to wear every time. It was something they did when Raiha went away for a business trip with Kurei and Recca to remind them of each other. Quite mushy, she has to admit, but it was the way they express their feelings with one another. At least, they still haven't stoop down into calling each other terms of endearment which they thought was the mushiest thing couples could do. Her headband went with Raiha to his grave when he was buried.

"Maybe we shouldn't look through this box." Tokiya finally said after staring back from Fuuko to the box during the silence they were sharing.

He wasn't stupid not to know what those things are. The blue strip of cloth on top of a pillow says it all. Only Raiha wears those kinds of things. Besides, from the reaction he was getting from the girl opposite from him, there was no guessing that those things indeed were from the late Raijin wielder and she was probably reminiscing their past.

Fuuko smiled bitterly as she gently closed the box once again. She has no intention of keeping those things and reminds herself of her loss every time she will set her eyes on them in the future. She would keep it for the moment but once she was able to fully let go of him, she would burry it next to his grave.

After that, Tokiya helped her bring those boxes to be thrown out of the house and piled them neatly at the yard, hoping that the thrash would pick it first thing in the morning.

As soon as they were back in the house, Fuuko handed Tokiya a towel from her drawers to wipe all those sweat from his body before putting on his Armani suite. It would be such a waste to see that clothes over sweaty body.

Tokiya looked at the towel in his hand as its soft fragrance filled his nostrils and mildly intoxicating him. As much as he wanted to take off his shirt and wipe his body off, there was one minor problem that he hasn't dealt with before. Fuuko. He had never stripped off his shirt in front of a girl before and he wasn't going to start now.

"What?" Fuuko voiced out, seeing the slight discomfort Tokiya was having. "Don't tell me you're shy?" she guessed while an amused smirk swept her face.

"Must you imply that, seeing my predicament here?" he glared at the smirking girl by the kitchen counter.

"Oh, Mi-chan! You don't have to be shy! I've seen half naked man a lot of times before." She said, obviously pushing him deeper into his predicament.

It was Tokiya who smirked this time, recovering from his earlier state and deciding to turn the tables. "I never thought you wanted to see me half naked, Kirisawa."

"Hah! In your dreams Mi-chan! In your dreams!" Fuuko said before turning around and getting a soda from the refrigerator.

Tokiya took this moment to strip off from his sweaty shirt that Fuuko had lent him and tossed it gently on the back of the sofa. After that, he gently dabbed his face with the towel, his slight touch gently causing the piece of cotton cloth to absorb the sweat beads on his forehead. Then, he hung the towel by his shoulders while he took one end of it and patted it on his neck and shoulder blades.

The moment Fuuko turned around from the fridge; she was kind of expecting him to be staring at the towel with an irked look on his face and would demand her for the bathroom where he could do his things in his own solitude. What she saw, however, made her pause in the act of drinking from the can of soda and held her in an embarrassing awe. Yes, she had seen men half naked. Men, namely, Recca, who was her childhood friend, Domon, who fought in the UBS wearing that leopard skin shorts and nothing on top and Raiha, when he changes from the sweaty shirt he has after their jog early in the morning. But she has to admit, never had she seen such beautifully built body. It was like his body was in perfect proportions that no man could level with. Who would have thought that behind those Armani and Gucci suite he was wearing was a body worthy of worship?

_Duh? His fans club, of course!_

"Are you done staring at my body, Kirisawa?" Tokiya's voice caught her off guard and broke her stare.

Fuuko felt her cheeks blush and worst, she can't find the words to say. Instead, she just resumed drinking and completely avoided glancing at his direction. It didn't help that he was looking at her with a triumphant smirk on his face.

A long tensed silence followed after that. The instant Tokiya was finished dressing back into his suite; he reached for his car keys and headed for the front door.

"Are you going so soon, Mi-chan?" she asked as she followed him to the door.

Tokiya only gave her a brief nod before reaching out his hand to grab the handle of the door.

"Mi-chan…" Fuuko's voice stopped him from opening the door. "Thank you for helping me today. Despite the knowledge of Ganko blackmailing you into this, I'm glad you help me nonetheless."

He nodded at what he said which earned him a warm smile on her face. Tokiya watched her for a while, still with that smile on her face and he couldn't help but wonder that after seeing Raiha's memorabilia's, is her smile real or fake.

_What do you care anyway?_ His mind asked him, rather, taunted him, and caused him to dismiss those thoughts from his head and take his leave. The sooner he escapes from her house, the sooner his mind won't go wondering and thinking some thoughts that are very not him.

But just as he was about to open the door, it opened in it's own accord, revealing Ganko, fresh from the meeting they had at her friends house.

"You're going already, Tokiya-niichan?" Ganko asked when she saw him by the front door.

"Yeah, I was just about to leave when you opened the door." He said, now taking a step towards the porch and takes his leave.

"Wait!" Ganko's voice sounded behind him that made him stop in mid stride.

Tokiya felt his body stiffen as he closed his eyes in scared anticipation for the next words that would drift from Ganko's lips. _Gods! Please let it not be what I'm thinking! Please!_

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" Ganko continued tactlessly, not knowing the things she was making him think.

_Damn! Why do I always have to guess what would happen next!_

He tried to put up an impassive face, devoid of emotions, yet with a hint of firmness on the things he was about to say next. "I'm sorry but I can't. There are still some things—"

"Oh! Come on!" Ganko blocked his next words by pulling him back in the house and dragging him in the living room. "You're on leave, right? It means no work for you to do so stay for dinner."

Tokiya stared at the retreating form of the blonde girl thinking that no matter how sweet her voice sounded when she said those words; it contained a slight command that he can't have the strength to oppose to. Forget about excuses to get out of the house. He'll rather stay without another word than let the monkey see how powerful Ganko's pleas are over him.

"Can't say no to Ganko, I see." Came an amused voice from Fuuko who was leaning against the doorframe.

Tokiya slightly turned his head to give her a glare which she obviously ignored for she was now making her way to the kitchen.

"What would like to have for dinner, Mi-chan?" Fuuko asked as she opened the fridge and see what she could cook.

"Anything, as long as it's edible." He answered sarcastically knowing how bad her culinary expertise is. Why, seven years ago, his kitchen was almost burned down when she and Recca decided to give him a surprise breakfast.

_At least it's her kitchen this time, not mine._ He thought as he watched her look through the stuffs in her fridge, probably looking for something frozen and could be eaten after ten minutes of heating it in the oven.

Fuuko could feel Tokiya's eyes on her and judging from her past attempts to try the kitchen, he might be thinking she'll just get something edible after heating in the oven. A smirk made its way across her face when she came upon something on the fridge. _This will be payback time. I'm going to show you I can cook, Mi-chan and wipe that look off your face!_

"How about we try chicken teriyaki and mushroom soup?" she said pulling out the frozen chicken meat from the freezer and putting it in a bowl filled with water to defrost.

Tokiya, however, took it as one of her way of teasing him so he just casually replied, "Sure. As long as there's a kitchen to have dinner at after you prepared that meal."

Fuuko was about to say something else when Ganko suddenly appeared from the bedroom, all dressed up from her uniform into her daily clothes.

"So, what's for dinner, Fuuko-neechan?" she said as she hopped her way to the kitchen.

"Teriyaki and mushroom soup." Fuuko answered briefly as she put the apron around her neck and tied it around her hips.

"Don't even dare cook, Fuuko." Tokiya said, tracing the steps to the kitchen and determined to cook dinner himself to save them from further accidents.

Ganko giggled at his words, oblivious of the glare she just earned from him. "Fuuko-neechan can cook you know. She learned how to when she was in Hiroshima."

After Ganko's statement, Fuuko looked triumphant while Tokiya looked like he was told that he's married to someone he doesn't know at all.

Instead of listening to the endless things Fuuko was now telling him with regards to her culinary expertise, he decided to help Fuuko cook dinner. The sooner dinner is served, the sooner he could escape. However, it didn't help that his fingers kept on brushing against hers when he was helping her cut the vegetables for the soup, that Fuuko's face seemed to blush because of the steam coming from the soup and that he was becoming comfortable with Fuuko's occasional smile, fake or real. It also didn't help that after dinner, when he was already driving back home, he was missing the warmth of their apartment and the smile on her face when she saw him out of the house seemed permanently stuck on his mind.

* * *

Tokiya stared at the empty wall before him as he sat comfortably on the sofa in his living room with a glass of brandy to relax his body and to help him sleep. 

It had been a tiring day for him, carrying boxes containing mostly litters then piling them one after the other, cleaning and dusting the attic and making sure that every corner is litter and dust free and carrying the boxes of trash from the attic to the yard for collection of trash. Not to mention that it wasn't his boxes that he piled, his attic that he cleaned and dusted off and his trash he carried from the attic to the yard. All of those are Fuuko's and a little of Ganko's.

What drove him to act as a slave for the monkey and do things nobody had ever told him to do before, he doesn't know.

Probably it's the way Ganko's eyes pleaded him to help her neechan in distress amongst tons of boxes in the attic or probably it's the way he can't find the urge to say no to her puppy dog eyes. Maybe it's because the girl knows how to blackmail him and get used to his death glares and sarcastic remarks. Whatever the reason is, it can never change the fact that when it comes to Ganko and Yanagi, the word 'no' could easily just fly out of his vocabulary and 'yes' and it's other synonyms seems to be the only words he learned in his twenty four years of life on earth.

Or probably, as much as denies it, it's the way Fuuko would always looked so surprise to see him on her doorstep or the way she looked good despite all the sweat dripping from her forehead. Maybe it's because of the way she would tease him about things that, he actually think, is stupid or maybe it's because of the way she would smile at him and say thank you for all his help with a faint blush working it's way across her cheeks.

Also, he can't deny the fact that he feels curious about why she was wearing those necklaces again, having heard from Recca that those belonged to her late parents. As far as he can recall, she already stopped wearing those when she and Raiha had that thing between them. Does that mean that since he's already gone, she's wearing those again? But why? And why in the bloody hell does he even bother to know?

Slowly shaking his head to clear off his mind from those thoughts, he drank from the glass of brandy in his hand, feeling the hot liquid traveling its way down his throat and warming his body. He couldn't think of the monkey as such. He can't allow himself to think of her as such. He was supposed to be irritated of her and her teasing remarks not thinking about her and sounding like he was beginning to get attracted to her.

His hand froze in mid action of bringing the brandy to his lips once again as the thought came to his mind. This time, he was in total disbelief that he can't even manage to shake his head to clear those thoughts from his head.

_No! I can't be… can I?_

"So, how was the charity project?" a voice suddenly sounded out of nowhere and almost made him jump from his seat.

He lightly turned his head towards the shadowy corner of the room where he knows the voice must be coming from since it is the only place where the owner of the voice could come and go without much invitation to do so.

True enough, he saw Kagero emerging from the shadowed part of the room and walking towards the single sofa where she comfortably settled herself.

"I don't remember inviting you in." he said curtly, sending glares at the woman sitting opposite from him.

"I don't need to be invited to go to places I want to see, or rather, see the persons I want to see." She answered, not breaking the eyes contact between them.

"I can sue you for that, you know. We have such laws protecting the privacy of an individual."

He saw her chuckle as if what he said was stupid when in fact, it could be a great line of defense for some big cases and have the advantage when everyone is thinking that there's no other way out of the case.

"Enough of this useless chatter—" she began which he didn't intend to let her finish.

"Great. It's nice to know you and I share the same idea. You can now leave by all means you would like." He said motioning his head to the door and to the other shadowed part of the room.

"I was not talking about leaving. I was merely talking of switching our topic from useless to a more sensible one." She said, completely ignoring the hint he was giving her. "Let's say… Fuuko."

Tokiya was expecting it to come since she had been their topic whenever Kagero would just come out of nowhere in his apartment or office yet, he was still surprised at the blunt way the woman had said it.

"You've been spending a lot of times together lately and you seem to be enjoying it." she pried deeper.

Tokiya shot his brows up, quite surprised that the immortal woman was still monitoring him like he'll murder the prime minister or something. She had not been appearing lately for the past few days and all the while, he was thinking that the woman suddenly gave up on him and her quest to pry something out of him that isn't there at all.

"How could I enjoy her annoying company?" he hissed, then bringing the glass up to his lips again for a drink of brandy to ease his raging heartbeat and cover it with an impassive face.

"That was what I was also wondering about when I was watching you from afar."

"Stop squeezing out emotions from me that isn't there at all, woman." He was now getting impatient with his companion but he have to admit, she has a tongue that could rival his and could snap the thin line of patience he has.

He glared as Kagero stood up and slowly walked towards the shadowy part of the room. It was pretty rude of him to do such things but at least he could have the silence he was enjoying before she came.

"I pity you." the immortal woman said, stopping at one part of the room with her back on him.

"And why is that?" he asked, slightly flabbergasted by the way she was acting.

"Because you still can't see how much she means to you. Because you still can't accept the fact that you enjoy her company and miss it when it isn't there."

And with that, she walked towards the shadows and completely left him dumbfounded on his place.

Upon realizing what she had just told him, Tokiya quickly took the decanter from his side and poured him self a half-full of brandy before gulping it straight down. Still, a thought lingered in his mind and the alcohol isn't even doing its job to clear his mind from all those thoughts.

_Could it really be… that I am… probably…?_

He couldn't even continue the thought in his mind for it seems so bizarre and impossible, almost beyond anybody's imagination.

* * *

a/n: so? what do you thiink? good? bad? terrible? whatever it is, please don't forget to read and review...

pretty please?...

well, the flashback thingy is just my imagination so if you don't think that fuuko didn't have that kind of childhood, really sorry but since this is my story... guess i'll do it that way...

tokiya's seem to be feeling 'somehting' already don't you think? hehehe! i know it's long chapter but like i said before, don't forget to review... i really hope you guys liked reading it...

oh and before i forget...

i have this new story i'm working on entitled '**frost**' hope you guys take time to read it and review the story also... thanks a lot!


	7. vacation and realizations

well, here the next installment for my very first fic... hehehe! sorry guys if it took long before i updated... i was at the province with no internet connections... peace guys!

for those who reviewed my fics, i'm really gratefull... hope you guys keep it coming... hearing from you really makes me feel good about writing! tnx!

disclaimer: standard disclaimer applied...

here goes...

**

* * *

Chapter 6:**

_I will love again,_

_though my heart is breaking_

_I know I'm supposed to love again…_

_How come… it doesn't feel right?_

* * *

"So, would you give me a chance?"

His voice was pleading against the crash of tide against the surf from the open sea a few meters from the seaside restaurant he had promised to take her. She looked up at him from the platter of food before her and met his pale blue eyes looking at her intensely. Suddenly, she realized that a half way eaten platter was nicer to look at than those intense and rare pale blue eyes.

Another strong wave crushed against the surf once again, reminding her of the silence that was engulfing them and the fact that he was waiting for her to answer. Heaving out a deep sigh, she forced herself to look up and meet his intense gaze the way a brave soldier would meet his own death. Still, those pale blue eyes were softly pleading her, never a change of emotion since she last look up on them.

"Fuuko…"

And his voice sounded pleading as well to the point that no one would ever believe her in case she told them that Kurei, flame caster and leader of Uruha, pleaded her to give him a chance.

"Fuuko, it's okay if—"

"Yes." She cut his words with her own voice, though she wasn't really sure that it was really her voice who just said that.

She let out that one word, that very word that might just change her life and help her fully recover from Raiha's death. All it took was one single breath and voicing out what she wanted to say, or rather, what she thinks she has to say. It all seemed so easy yet it was one of the hardest things she had ever done in her entire life. It was hard for her to say yes, not because it was Kurei who was asking her. In fact, she would gladly say yes to him even if he asked her years ago… before she had said yes to Raiha.

"Are you sure Fuuko?" he asked her once again as if he heard it wrong.

She smiled and gave him a quick nod. "Of course I am. You asked for a chance and I'm giving it to you."

The next moment, she found her hands encased in his and she was once again the object of those intense eyes.

"Thank you." he said, squeezing her hand softly.

She just gave him a warm smile while a thought continued to linger in her head.

_Is this the right thing to do?_

_If it is, then how come it feels so…_

_Wrong?_

After the lunch they had, she was invited to go with him to stroll by the seaside. Not just an ordinary stroll but the one that lovers do in movies, holding hands with the leading man while watching the sunset beyond the horizon and feeling the warm water on their feet. She didn't do much to protest, in fact she was beginning to enjoy the moment, not because she was holding his hand or something, but because she was enjoying the little chatter they were having. He has his way of making things perfect for her. He was making her feel secured, complete, even…

Yet somehow, she wasn't feeling any of those. Not because of the Raiha thing, she was over that just like the way she promised herself she would be. It was something else, something that Kurei, can't make her feel or can make her have despite the way he makes everything perfect for her.

She was feeling strange, not in its romantic sense but in its normal sense. Yet she still manages to listen to every word he was saying and looking as if she was hanging onto every word that was coming out of his lips while thinking of the predicament she had put herself into.

The next moment, she found herself sitting on top of a boulder of rock overlooking the dark blue sea while Kurei was sitting beside her, looking towards the horizon and watching the sunset, giving the bluish water an orange shade that fits to perfection. The wind was gently breezing through, softly tumbling their hair and softly caressing their cheeks.

Slowly, Fuuko turned her gaze to Kurei's direction and watched as his chiseled face looked so calm against the setting sun. Not to mention how handsome he looked like with his hair softly dancing with the wind. She tried to trace every feature of his face, searching for something she couldn't name yet determined to find to assure herself she didn't made the wrong decision. Her brows furrowed as she searched deeper, hoping that if she did, she'll be able to find something and she would be assured of her decision.

The next second, she was staring onto his pale blue eyes with a hint of amusement in them which she can't define from where.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked that completely caught her off guard.

Quickly, she withdrew her gaze, embarrassed that he had caught her doing such act, and stammered to answer his question.

"I was… ah… just… thinking about something." She stuttered while avoiding his gaze.

However, he wasn't going to let her off that easily for he gently cupped her face and forced them to turn to him. Still, she averted her gaze, refusing to meet his own to hide her own embarrassment and to avoid looking again at them.

"Look at me Fuuko." He said, his voice sounded pleading once again yet it felt like he was commanding her to do so.

Slowly, she forced herself to meet his gaze and the moment she did, those eyes smiled back at her for reasons she doesn't know.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, eager to know what was going in his mind and wanting to grope it in her hands.

She watched as his lips twitched upward, revealing to her one of his famous smiles that would simply make every girl who receives them swoon right in front of him. But she wasn't just every girl so he can't expect to see her swooning right then and there. She would rather die than to swoon right in front of any guy or anyone for that matter. Fuuko Kirisawa never and would never swoon, devastated or not, depressed or not.

"I am thinking of how I feel when you look at me like that." He said, gently bringing the hand that was cupping her face earlier to her forehead and softly caressing downwards, leaving burning sensation on the path that his fingers took. "And I am thinking of wanting to kiss you..."

Slowly, he was inching towards her, determined to close the gap between their lips and seal whatever it was that she told him a while ago about giving him a chance of having a place in her heart. She wanted to pull away and just walk away from him yet something hold her back, making her wanting to anticipate the moment that his lips would descend upon hers and probably when they did, she would find that one thing she was looking for a while ago.

She watched through half lidded eyes as his face inched closer, slightly tilting his head to avoid their nose crushing against each other and destroying the moment he had established. When his lips was just a mere millimeters from hers, she let those half lidded eyes fully close and waited for his lips to slowly touch hers. Not a second later, she felt his soft, warm lips against hers, gently touching for a mere second before he broke the contact but never drawing back an inch farther from her. He still held her there only, their lips are now once again a mere millimeters from each other.

Silently, she searched deep inside her for anything that will tell her this was the right thing to do. However, no matter how hard she searched and no matter how much she assured herself that she is doing the right thing, she can't help but feel that none of this was right.

Gently she opened her eyes to find the assurance she needed in his eyes and saw that Kurei also did but before one of them could even say anything else or react on what just transpired between them, another voice broke the silence between them that made them abruptly turn towards the direction of the voice.

"I never knew you had it in you niichan!" Recca said with a slight glimmer in his eyes.

Obviously, he had seen them after they kissed and not only him, when her gaze traveled behind Recca, she noticed that the whole Hokage was standing behind him and looking the same, except for Tokiya of course, who was once again having an unreadable expression on his face.

Quickly she pulled away and diverted her gaze somewhere else where they wouldn't see the blood going up to her cheeks.

"Ow come on Fuuko! You don't have to be shy!" Recca shouted while sniggering with amazement.

"Shut up Recca!" Fuuko glared at him. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"Didn't you know?"

"Know what?" her eyebrows furrowed at Recca's reaction.

"Kurei asked us to stay here for the weekend. He had us booked in a hotel near here so we can spend all weekend near the beach. Even the Uruha's are here." Yanagi explained for Recca.

"I see." She said, feeling slightly glad that, at least, the rest of the Uruha wasn't there to witness what they had witnessed.

"Don't worry! I promise not to disturb you and niichan during your private moments!" Recca teased her which just earned him more glare from Fuuko.

"I thought I told you to shut up!" Fuuko shouted at his direction and abruptly stood up before stalking away from the group.

Just when she was about to pass Tokiya, something made her meet his gaze and look into his eyes as if some magnet just drawn her to him. His face was much less the same, impassive. Yet there was something in his eyes that made her slow down walking so she could take her time staring at them and figure out what was it.

_Was it pain?_

She tried to figure it out but she was already side by side with him and was already passing him. She wanted to turn her head back, she felt the burning urge to turn around and seek those baby blue eyes once again until she could figure out what was that in his eyes that made her want to look at them like that.

_No… it can't be pain… he never feels those kinds of emotions…_

She convinced herself before dragging herself away from the embarrassing situation.

* * *

Tokiya closed the door to his suite with a loud thud before stalking towards the fridge and pulling out a can of beer. He then proceeded towards the window and looked at the view outside.

From his window located at the fifteenth floor, he could clearly see the outline of the long stretch of sandy beach before him. At the horizon, the sun was almost gone, giving the sea a dark orange, almost red even, shade. The sky, except for the part that was near the setting sun, was almost in dark blue, waiting for the sun to set and let the velvet color take over it. The sandy beach was still packed with few people eager to taste the water on their bodies despite the sun almost set. And the water, it was peaceful, not like that afternoon when all you can see are the big tides crashing against the shore. The water was barely moving, almost still even, giving whoever who'll look at them a sense of calmness and serenity.

But Tokiya Mikagami isn't feeling anything but calm. He was raging inside for reason he couldn't figure out. He suddenly has the urge to bang his head on the glass window or break the glass into tiny splinters, so tiny that no one would recognize a shard of glass on the carpeted floor. He suddenly wants to dull his senses with alcohol until his world was spinning and he'll be oblivious of the other things around him. The reason why he wanted to do those things, he doesn't know and that's what making him more annoyed than ever.

"Why do you look so annoyed?" a very familiar voice suddenly cut the thoughts going on his head.

Upon hearing the voice, he couldn't help but utter out a silent curse and watched through the glass window as Kagero's figure appeared behind him from the shadows in the living room. He saw that smirk on her face and he can't help but use almost all his strength not to turn around and throw the empty can of beer in his hands at her. Rude and so not like him, yes, but he was tired of her popping in his room every time he needs to be alone to think.

"Is it because of what—" she continued when he didn't made an attempt to answer her question earlier.

"Look, I don't have time for this." He cut her sentence, still not bothering to turn around and look at her for he was afraid that if he does, he'll just end up hurling the can of beer in his hands towards the direction of the immortal woman.

"Of course you do." Her voice was taunting him. "You saw what everyone else saw back there at the beach. It is what's making you look so annoyed. You can't hide it anymore from me."

He stifled a retort at the immortal woman's words. What the hell is she talking about? Why would that incident at the beach bother, or rather, annoy him so much? So what if Kurei just kissed Fuuko. Why would he bother anyway?

"Because you love her." Kagero, who seems to be reading his thoughts, answered for him.

This time, Tokiya abruptly turned around and glared at the woman before him. Lucky for her he still have a little respect left for her that he didn't hurl the can of beer in his hand towards her.

"What did you say?" he said in a cold voice, so cold that despite Kagero being immune to this part of Tokiya, he still manages to make shivers ran down the spine of the woman.

"You love her." she repeated, only making him more annoyed.

This time, to release the pent up emotions he was feeling, he crushed the can of beer in his hand until it was just a crumpled piece of crap. Why was he so annoyed anyway? Why does he keep on hiding it from himself? Why not just admit it and be done with it?

_Because you'll just hurt yourself, baka! She's together with Kurei, remember?_

"So? I can't do anything about it now." He spat out bitterly, admitting his own loss and his own stupidity for not realizing it until now, now that it's too late.

"Yes you can… listen to your heart and let it tell you what to do…"

And with that, the immortal woman left him in peace and silence he had been seeking a few minutes back.

Seeing that she had disappeared back in the shadows, he bitterly turned around and watched the view before him presented by the transparent glass of window. But this time, the view nor the color of the sky nor the way the water crashed against the shore didn't even registered in his mind for it was occupied by something else, or rather someone else. A certain purple haired monkey that used to annoy him with her company despite the fact that he kept on keeping it from himself that he was actually enjoying it. The former team mate during the UBS that used to give him friendly gestures, that of which the rest couldn't show him for he might just lash out on them, despite the fact that those were actually the same things that made him fall for her like this. The former Fuujin master that used to engage with him in a witty verbal swords play only to find out that those were the same things that made him respect her wit and her effort of making him act like a normal person would even just for once in a while.

He had fallen for her fast and hard but he was too stupid to even realize that. He clouded his thoughts with his work just to get his mind off the thought of her and to numb his feelings for her. However, instead of numbing it the way he wanted to, he end up making it grow deeper than he had expected to the point that he was beginning to lose his cool and let the immortal woman read his thoughts like an open book.

And now, it's too late for him. She was with Kurei now, just like the way she was with Raiha before and he wasn't able to do anything. Besides, how the hell is he supposed to confess something like that to her? And worst, would she even believe him? It was never in his nature to feel anything like that and go up and confess it to his object of affection. By the time he'll find the way how to tell her, she might even be married to Kurei already making it very late to do so. He was never good at these kinds of things and he would rather shut his trap than confuse her with what he would be saying.

A bitter smirk worked its way across his face. Here he was, finally feeling something other than anger and revenge, and he can't even tell the person that. He had fallen for the very first time in his life, loved someone more than his life ever since his sister died and he will not do anything about it. For the first time in his life, no matter how smart people think he is for always figuring out the right thing to do at any given situation, he was lost and couldn't think of anything to do in his current predicament than just keep silent and wait for things to happen around him.

* * *

He watched as she busily ate her dinner opposite from him, constantly chatting with the rest of the group and laughing on their silly jokes. She would glance at him from time to time and smile so tenderly the way she never smiled with any of the group before then would bow her head and try to hide the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. But he sees it anyway and it only makes him smile at her naivety. Even at the time that he was holding up his glass of red wine, he still couldn't help but watch her through the red liquid in his glass, watching how good her complexion looked in red, the color of blood. He was so fond of watching her that he had barely touched his food and consumed little of his wine while the plates of the rest are almost empty and ready for a second filling, in case of Recca, that is. He even barely heard what the conversation going on around the table is, nor the silly joke that Recca was telling the group, nor who was laughing at whose joke. All he was aware was the way Fuuko was laughing at what they were saying, and the way her cobalt orbs seems to smile back and laughing as freely as her.

"Kurei-sama…"

Kurei snapped out from the spell of Fuuko's laughter when a feminine voice called him and tapped his shoulder. He looked beside him and saw that Neon was looking at him worriedly. Beside her, Joker was also looking back at him, not worriedly, however. He was looking at him with amused glitter on his eyes and a knowing smile on his face.

"Are you alright?" Neon asked again, mistaking his lack of contribution to the discussion was due to something bothering him or he doesn't like. "You seem rather preoccupied."

He smiled at Neon while he straightened up in his seat. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking of something."

"Don't you mean someone?" Joker joined in their discussion still with that knowing smile on his lips.

He threw him a glare which he completely ignored as he watched as his eyes traveled to Fuuko, who was now talking with Tokiya despite the way the other wouldn't cooperate at all, and then back again to him. Still with the glare on his face, he snorted before turning back to face those in the table so as not to interrupt the others and avoid drawing the attention of his comrades.

This time, Tokiya and Fuuko are both exchanging death glares and at each other's throat. From the looks of it, both must have lost control over them selves and ended up throwing insults at each other that just pissed them off. Recca and the others are all sweatdropping and attempting to stop what is about to occur between the two former madougu wielders.

"Fuu—" Kurei was about to calm Fuuko down but was dumbfounded to even speak at what Fuuko did next.

With eyes almost as wide as the saucer plate of the coffee cup on the table, Kurei watched as Fuuko's face suddenly changed. The glare she was giving Tokiya changed into a warm smile, that of which he haven't seen in such a long time. But that wasn't the one that surprised him the most. What surprised him was when Fuuko leaned over and gave Tokiya a quick peck on the cheek.

Of course, it might sound so petty but it was the way Fuuko looked before she kissed Tokiya and the way she looked after that surprised him the most. It was different in some way though he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Mi-chan, I never knew how much I missed that glare of yours." He heard Fuuko whisper to the surprised Tokiya beside her.

Instead of throwing another glare back at her, however, he saw Tokiya quickly stand up from his seat and turned his back on them. Curious at the sudden actions of the former Ensui wielder, Kurei asked him.

"Where are you going Mikagami?"

"The bathroom. I need to wash away monkey flees that my skin caught." He answered coldly before stalking towards the bathroom.

Kurei saw Fuuko stick her tongue out at his back but he noticed something that almost made him wonder. Before Tokiya turned around to leave for the restroom, he noticed a slight pinkish blush creeping up his cheeks and he couldn't help but wonder if it has anything to do with the intimate contact that Fuuko gave him.

* * *

well... what do you think? too fast? hehehe! well, i just hope you like it... please oh please don't forget to review... it's really nice to hear from you guys...

till the next chap!


	8. unmasking and tensions

well... sorry i was not able to post anything for such a long time... school work is really killing me... but don't ya worry guys because i'm still writting the fics i started... only this time, it might take me a long time before i could update... hehehe! hope you guys understand...

anyweiz, here is the next chap... i'm really sorry though because kurei's part of the story was kinda rushed... i promise to edit it as soon as i can... at least you guys have an idea how kurei's part of the story would look like... but with the rest of the story, i hope you guys like it.

read on!

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* * *

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**Chapter 7:**

He was blushing. He was blushing because of a girl. He was blushing because of a girl who just kissed him. He was blushing because of a girl who just kissed him on the cheeks. He was blushing because of a girl who just kissed him on the cheeks for the very first time in his entire life. Oh, and did he happen to mention that the girl who just kissed him was Fuuko?

Trying his best to ignore the annoying shade on his cheeks, he quickly went for the faucet and splashed the cold water on his face, hoping against all hope that it would remove the annoying stain from his face. He looked back at the mirror, watching as water lined down his cheeks and gather at the base of his chin, only to fall down as a small droplet on the sink.

_You look like a complete idiot, blushing like mad over some monkey kissing you on the cheeks. Shouldn't you be worried that you might get monkey flees and not blushing like that?_

Shaking all those thoughts from his mind, he went over to the other side of the bathroom and got some tissue to wipe his face. Just after he finished wiping his face dry, he noticed another presence of a person he didn't quite expect to feel, much more in a man's bathroom.

"I believe you're aware that this is the men's bathroom and I believe that you're also aware that if someone happens to come barging in here and see you, it would be quite a huge scandal." He said dryly, glaring at the mirror and waiting for the person to show herself to him.

Just as expected, Kagero appeared from behind him, her hands crossed across her chest and a sly smirk playing on her lips. However, he refused to look around and face her directly; instead, he glared at her through the mirror and waited for what she has to say.

A minute passed but Kagero seemed to have lost her ability to speak. This time, Tokiya faced her, wanting to find out what's wrong.

"What now? Felt tired of taunting me to the brink about not doing anything and being so foolish for realizing my feelings for her too late?" he said, sarcastically. "If so, you can now leave for I have a reputation to hold and I don't want that to be destroyed once someone comes in and see you in here."

He watched as Kagerou merely shook her head and walked towards him, leaning against the sink near him and looking straight ahead.

"No… I didn't come here to taunt you or anything else for that matter. Tell me, Tokiya," she said seriously as she turned her head to her left and looked directly at Tokiya's baby blue eyes. "Are you going to tell her about it?"

He chuckled at the question the immortal woman had thrown to him. "And what? Confuse her to no end and destroy the relationship she now has with Kurei? Forget it. Besides, just like you said, it's too late already." He answered, his voice almost constricting with emotions he never thought would haunt him.

After his last statement, he watched the open display of emotions that played on Kagero's face until it finally settled to the point that her eyes reflected sadness from something that, he guess, she was just about to tell him.

"I pity you." The woman stated dejectedly.

The mere fact that she actually had the guts to tell him straight forwardly that she pitied him annoyed him to the edge. It took almost all his self control and the added value that Mifuyu taught him about respecting women not to lunge at the woman and hit her square on the face. He just stood there, glaring at the woman and wishing to the heaven's that, as impossible as it may sound, looks could kill.

"Life had been so unfair to you." Kagero continued much to Tokiya's dismay.

"Must I be reminded of how it had been unfair to me?" he asked, raising a sarcastic brow at her. "Besides, since when had you been this nosy before?"

And with that, Tokiya stormed out of the restroom and put up his façade before heading back to the table where the others are still happily chatting with each other and appears to have not noticed his long absence. Even his nearing presence seemed to go beyond noticeable but he didn't mind. Besides, why should he when this gave him the opportunity to look at her without anybody noticing it?

From the distance he was covering, he watched as Fuuko laughed her heart out, her hair tumbling behind her back and her hands gently tucking a stray of hair behind her ear. Damn! How did he ever fall for someone like her? Yes, she has the body but she wasn't just mature enough for him. She was always joking around, playing and laughing without a care in the world. Yet, she was the only one who made sure he would feel, just feel, something, whether annoyance, amazement, anything, in just a span of five minutes. She was the only one who would encourage him to laugh with her, to relax a little, even dare to annoy him to no end without the trepidation of how he could slay with just a mere look. And God only knows why he lets her do that to him.

Then, without warning and as if sensing he was watching her, Fuuko turned to look at him straight at the eye. Baby blue met dark blue and time stopped, for Tokiya that is. He was drowned by those blue depths the color of the sea and he was making no effort of saving himself. He just stood there, five step from his seat, hands in his pockets and mouth slightly agape. He must have looked stupid. No, scratch that! He looks stupid! And yet, he doesn't even seem to care.

"Why Mi-chan, you spent an awfully long time in the restroom. Is it that hard to remove monkey fleas?" Fuuko teased him, unknowingly saving him from a very ridiculous situation he just let himself into.

He quickly recovered his composure and just shrugged his shoulders and slowly walked away from the table without another word.

"Mi-chan, where are you going?" Fuuko's voice followed him.

"I still have something to do." He curtly answered without even turning back to look at her or the persons at the table.

He can't stay. He just couldn't because something was eating him up from the inside. Something he was beginning to get accustomed to. Once again, the cold, unfeeling Tokiya Mikagami was hurt. It just hurt him to see her smile at him, yet knowing that she already belong to someone else.

As he was walking down the sidewalk, he passed a store with a one way mirror and he couldn't help but turn to its direction and watch himself. Not that he was vain or anything. He just wanted to see how a devastated look fits his face. That's when he noticed his eyes. Not that it was the first time he realized what color they were, but because a realization suddenly dawn to him that time.

It was cerulean… the color of the sky.

While Fuuko's eyes were dark blue… the color of the sea…

North and south… complete opposites… meant to be separated from each other and never to blend into one…

_Probably… just like us…_

* * *

She stared at the retreating back of the former ensui wielder until he had disappeared into the night, thinking if there was something that she said that made him leave.

"Mou! That was rude!" Ganko's voice finally broke the silence between them and the line of thoughts going in her head.

"Some things really never change." Kauro followed Ganko's statement before he went back to his food.

Things went back to normal around the table but unknown to it's other occupants, she was feeling bothered, not by the fact that Tokiya had walked out of the room without so much of a good excuse, but because of the fact that she was bothered by his eyes.

That time, when he came back from his, rather long, comfort room break and she turned around to tease him a little bit farther, her heart just stopped for a second. There was something in his eyes that she can't help but notice, something different, and something that wasn't there before and a while ago, it was glowing all of a sudden. It was as if his eyes had hidden it very well until that moment when it was all written in them for the world to see. Yet, she can't put her finger on exactly what it was that she saw. Besides, with just a blink of his eyes, all of it was gone and she had to mentally shake herself and continue her teasing remark before anybody else noticed what it was that presided between them.

After a few more minutes, dinner was finally over and everyone decided to retire for the night.

"Let me take you to your room Fuuko." Kurei gently said as he offered his hand to her like a perfect gentleman.

Fuuko hesitated for a moment, thinking that he might notice that something was bothering her and she couldn't bring herself to tell him what it was. That would be very unfair. Here he was, offering all the love in the world and all the understanding she ever needed and all she could ever think of was the way Tokiya looked at her a while ago. What kind of girlfriend would do such thing?

Smiling softly at Kurei, she reached out her slender fingers and touched his offered hand. She felt his fingers enveloped hers with its warmth and she couldn't help but blush at the intimate contact.

They finally reached her room and paused at the doorway. Slowly, she turned around to look at Kurei, who was standing close, way too close, to her.

"Well, here's my room." she said, slightly lowering her head to avoid his stare.

"Fuuko…" she heard his voice call out to her as if she was everything that he ever needed in the entire world.

Still she avoided his gaze, suddenly feeling a little bit uncomfortable due to the intensity of their surroundings. He, too, seemed to have been caught with the intensity that he wasn't able to continue whatever it is that he wanted to say and let the silence speak for himself.

She felt her heart starting to beat wildly against her chest as she inhaled his wonderful scent. She could feel his warm breath against her temples and it just made her heart beat like frenzy. Suddenly, she felt him raise his hands to touch her cheeks and the moment they do, she slowly lifted her head up to stare at his pale blue orbs. She almost gasped at the intensity of those stare and felt her breath caught in her throat. He must have noticed this for the next instant, she found him dipping his head lower and his fingers suddenly found their way under her chin to lift her face up. Slowly, and for what seemed like eternity, his lips touched hers for the second time that day, their eyes fluttering close and she felt how different this kiss is from what they had earlier.

Slowly, she felt him pushing her back against the frame of her door, his soft lips gently grazing and teasing her own lips until such time that she had to lock her hands around his neck for support while his hands settled on her waist. Her action, however, seemed to have intensified his feelings and desire to be close to her for she suddenly felt his soft tongue touching her lips, seeking for entrance. She gasped at the feeling it brought her, which Kurei had taken as an opportunity to slide his tongue into her warm mouth, eliciting a moan from the depth of her throat.

They were locked in a fiery kiss, each stroke bringing both of them a step away from reality and towards their own world, until such time that Tokiya's eyes, those very same eyes that she had seen earlier at dinner, flashed across her mind and jolted her from the kiss.

Suddenly pulling away, she settled her hands on Kurei's chest, and felt him place his chin on her shoulders. She could feel the way Kurei's heart was beating against his muscular chest and she became very aware of his heavy breathing against her ears.

"We, can't do this." She whispered, catching her own breathing.

Everything was silent for a moment until such time that Kurei straightened up and gazed into her eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry." He whispered back, his fingers gently grazing against the soft skin of her cheeks.

She smiled at him, giving him the assurance that there was nothing to be sorry about, before turning around to enter her room.

"Goodnight, Fuuko."

Still with the smile on her lips, she slowly closed the door to her room. "Goodnight, Kurei." She said before the door completely closed.

Heaving out a sigh of relief, she rested her head against the door frame and listened to his vanishing footsteps across the hall.

_What the hell happened?_

Her mind wandered back to the kiss that she and Kurei shared just a few moments ago.

That kiss… there was something in it that made her feel different. It was more like their desires being fulfilled and not the emotions being showed. It was as if she was doing the right thing with the wrong person. And one thing more…

_Why the hell did Mi-chan's face suddenly appeared in my mind!_

She was lately having a lot of questions concerning Tokiya and she could feel that they would continue bothering her if she doesn't do anything about it. Finally, she decided that the only thing that could end the questions bothering her was to go and confront the person causing them. She has to go and talk to him and clear everything that she was thinking.

Waiting for a few more minutes, just to make sure that she wouldn't have to deal with running into Kurei or anybody else on her way, she gathered all her courage and opened the door to head for Tokiya's room. She stepped outside her room, her feet slowly making their way towards the other hallway where Tokiya's room was located. Ironically, each step that she took towards his room seemed to be the same steps she wanted to take away from it.

_Get a hold of yourself Fuuko… You're just going to talk to him, just like the way you both do way back during high school._

Before she even realized it, she was already in front of Tokiya's room, heaving out a deep sigh before summoning all her courage to knock on the door before her. She waited for a few seconds but no answer came from the other side of the door.

She knocked again, this time calling softly his name softly so as to let him know that it was her at the other side of the door.

"Mi-chan…" she softly said, her knuckles connecting to the varnished door.

Still, no answer.

"Mi-chan, are you there?" she called out more loudly, this time, turning the knob.

It was locked.

She had almost had the nerve to kick herself as soon as she realized that. Of course it should be lock, with or without Tokiya inside. How stupid could she be?

Very. She must have been very stupid just thinking of coming here. And her being here made her more stupid than ever.

Still, she wanted to find him so badly. For what reason, she doesn't know. It was as if her very actions don't even register to her brain anymore and her body was moving into its own volition of finding him.

She found herself going out of the hotel building and searching the bar beside the pools for any sign of him. Still, she found none. This time, her feet led her to the beach. It was lucky for her that there are post lamps along the beach, or else, finding him there would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. She slowly walked along the shoreline, not minding that the water was gently grazing her feet each time the tides reach the shore and the very few people taking a stroll under the night sky. Her eyes kept on wandering around her, hoping to catch a glimpse of silver and blue amidst the vast space laid out before her.

Then she saw him, or rather, an outline that could be him, sitting on the boulder of rock that she and Kurei had been sitting on that morning. She walked a little bit farther until she could really recognize his features from where she stands. As soon as her eyes took in the familiar silver locks and perfectly chiseled face, she hurriedly walked towards him. However, she stopped on her tracks when she saw the look on his face.

He was sitting there, oblivious of her presence, his left leg lying flat over the rock while his other leg was pulled towards his chest. His right arm was placed on top of right leg while the other holds onto it. He was looking towards the dark horizon as the gentle night wind played with the strands of his silver mane. He seems to be thinking about something, and the pained expression on his face gave her an idea of who it might be.

_Mifuyu…_

She had never seen this side of Tokiya and she's not sure if she should be thankful that she saw him like that. There was a part of her who wanted to leave and leave him with his thoughts, and if what she thought earlier was right, his pain. Yet, there was also a part of her who wanted to stay, to walk up to him… share his pain, if possible.

Slowly, and rather reluctantly, she withdrew her gaze from his figure and settled it on the vast darkness spread out before them, her eyes, turning poignant all of a sudden.

_But… how could I? How could I when I am so full of pain, myself?_

Returning her gaze back at Tokiya, she decided to go to him and have a nice talk, completely forgetting that she was there to find the answer to her questions earlier. She'll have another time for that. This time, though, she just wanted to comfort him, and probably find comfort in him too.

"Hey…" she greeted in a soft voice the moment she reached his place.

Slowly, she lowered herself onto the boulder and sat beside him, not looking at his face, rather focusing her gaze on the ebony sky above them.

Whether he wanted her company or not, she doesn't know for he remained silent and didn't even turned to look at her when she greeted him.

"You're thinking of her, aren't you?" she asked softly, carefully choosing her words so as not to jeopardize her stay.

"No." came the curt answer from her companion, giving her the confirmation that he knows who she was talking about.

Silence followed after that, the wind constantly playing with their hair and grazing their skin. She shivered involuntarily as a cold wind blew their way, her being clad in spaghetti strapped dress. She listened to the waves crashing against the rock they were sitting at and can't help but wonder why people tend to deny the fact that they think about their loved ones who passed away. It wasn't as if doing that would lessen the pain. On the contrary, it even makes it hurt even more. She should know. after all, she was basing it from her own experience.

She almost gasped when she suddenly felt a heavy, yet warm object being placed around her shoulders. When she look at what it was, she saw Tokiya's fingers leaving the jacket he was wearing a while ago, and which is now draped comfortably against her shoulders.

"Thanks." She murmured, fighting down the blush that threatened to show on her cheeks. Not that he would see it anyway. After all, it was quite dark from where they were sitting at.

Silence followed again after that and she sighed inwardly. Tokiya was never the one who would break such silence. Knowing him, he might be thinking of a polite way to make her leave. She is an unwanted company after all.

"I was serious." His gentle voice reached her ear the same time a wind blew past them, making her almost gasp in surprise for his sudden initiative.

She looked at him, questioning what could he possibly be talking about.

"I wasn't thinking of my sister." he added. "I was thinking of other matters."

She smiled softly at this. "It's okay… But in case you want somebody to talk to, you could just approach me, if you want."

Silence followed once again and she took this opportunity to tilt her head to the side so that it would be lying comfortably against Tokiya's shoulder. She felt him stiffen at her action and was half expecting that he would abruptly stand from his position and push her away, but it never came. Instead, she felt him relaxing against her and allowing the contact between them.

Why she did that? She doesn't know. But she knows that she feels comfortable with the feel of his broad shoulders against her head.

"I think I owe you an apology." She heard him say, his deep voice resonating against her ear.

His voice distracted her for a moment, hearing how deep it was and how gentle it sounded. She got so distracted that she didn't realize that Tokiya, the ever so great and mighty Tokiya who never lowered himself before anyone, actually humbled himself and asked for her apology.

"For what?" she asked, not moving from her position.

"The thing I said to you at the airport when you left a few years ago."

Her brows furrowed as she thought about that day once again, her mind searching for the memory of what he told her before.

_You're a coward…_

Her eyes momentarily widen when she remembered those words but she felt no grudge against him.

"It's okay… that happened to long ago to be apologizing for it now. Besides, I was who you said I was during that time. A coward. A coward who cannot face what it was that went smack right onto her face." she sighed.

"You still love him?" she heard him voice out, not actually sure whether it came out as a question or a statement.

She smiled sadly. "Does it matter right now? Besides, I'm trying to forget that's why I gave Kurei a chance… see if we could work things out… see if he could help me mend."

"You're being selfish."

She smiled inwardly, not really believing that she was having this kind of conversation with Tokiya. Things sure have change during those times that she was away. Tokiya was a little warmer now, not like before that he kept on pushing them away. Yet, his keen senses never changed.

Before, during the UBS, he was always the very first one to recognize danger before it could even happen. He was always the one who could observe everything and everybody around him even though chaos was right before his very eyes. And until now, he still does. He could still sense if there was something wrong. He was able to see directly right through the façade that took her years to build. He was able to see behind her smile, her mask…

"You were able to see right through me…" she spoke her thoughts aloud. "How?"

The last word was forced from her lips for she suddenly felt a lump in throat.

"Let's just say I am a master of the art that I can sense easily who was putting up a mask and who is not."

She smiled sadly at his words as she felt the tears pricking her eyes. Knowing that they were threatening to fall any second now, she turned her head so that her face is now buried against his shoulders. Quietly, she cried against him, letting her tears to fall down freely and be absorbed by the fabric hanging on his broad shoulder. She felt his arms go around her shoulders, pulling her closer against him and this gave her the comfort she had been looking for ever since Raiha died. Funny how she traveled and wasted money to seek it in some place only to find out that the person who could give her such comfort was right beside her. Only during those times, she was too hurt to notice, acknowledge or even seek.

After a few minutes, her cobs finally died out and she turned her head once again to look ahead of her. She could still feel his arms around her but she didn't care, nor did she even notice.

"I want to forget him, Mi-chan." She whispered.

"You don't have to forget him… you just have to learn how to deal with the pain."

"You'll help me, won't you? Since you're the only one who seems to notice my huge masquerade."

The only answer that she got was the tightening of his arms around her and it was already enough answer for her to give her the assurance that he'll be there for her.

She continued looking at that space before them, knowing that her companion was also looking at the same sight before her. The questions in her head was long forgotten already and it might be the next day that she'll remember them once again, yet, she wasn't even bothered. It was as if the question had already been answered without her knowing it, right there in the arms of the most unlikely person who would understand her like that.

* * *

He wasn't supposed to be jealous. He told himself over and over again as he made his way to the elevators located at the other side of the hallway. Surely, there wasn't anything that he should be jealous about. Fuuko and Tokiya had been friends since high school, and he had already been used to seeing her act that way towards him in particular. She was, as the rest of the Hokage put it, the only one who could fish out some emotions out of the human ice block, so it was enough reason for her to be extra close to him.

And yet…

Just a few minutes back, as he was sipping a cold beer by the window while reading some documents he took with him from his office, he glanced out of the transom of his room located at the third floor of the hotel just in time to see Tokiya entering the hotel vicinity with an unconscious Fuuko lying on his arms.

The first thought that came to his mind the next instant was that time when he took Fuuko to her room and left her to rest.

_If that is so, then what is she doing in the arms of Tokiya?_

_Maybe she went out to have a breath of fresh air and happened to pass by Tokiya._

The next thought that came to his mind was that Fuuko might probably be injured that's why she was unconscious and Tokiya had to carry her back to her room.

This thought triggered him to hastily leave the comfort of his room and dash towards Fuuko's room five floors above his own room.

However, no matter how much he wants to deny it and how much he wish to ignore it, he still couldn't get that nagging feeling inside him that triggered his jealousy.

He reached the elevators and his thought temporarily left his brain as he pushed the button that indicated Fuuko's floor. The moment the elevator doors closed and locked him securely inside the spacious four cornered space, he was greeted by his image reflected on the mirrored walls. He stared at it for a few seconds before closing his eyes and leaning his body against wall, refusing to look at his reflection. It was as if his reflection was slowly mocking him and intensifying the nagging jealousy pouring over his body.

After a few minutes that seemed like forever for him, the elevator doors suddenly opened, revealing to him the hallway that would lead him to his destination. Hastily, he made his way towards Fuuko's room just in time to see Tokiya opening the door.

"Mikagami." He called out, stopping the other man from his progress of stepping inside the room.

He watched as the man slowly turned around and confidently met his gaze.

_Cold…_

It was the only word that could describe those eyes. No emotions could be seen on those baby blue pools and yet, it could easily bring shivers across his spine.

But who was he to talk about such things when he knew that his own eyes reflected the same coldness that he could see from the man across him. But he knew that the man could still read something more on his eyes and it's burning with too much intensity, making hell freeze over and then melting down only to freeze again.

He was jealous. No. He was very jealous and the man across him doesn't even seem to care that he was the reason why he was feeling this way.

"What happened to her?" he asked Tokiya, his voice sending ice daggers to the man still holding what's his.

"She's asleep." came the curt reply, his voice also returning the same intensity of coldness.

"And may I ask why?" he asked once again, walking towards the man with every intention of taking Fuuko from him.

"I know what's going on in that filthy mind of your Kurei and it's not what you think it is."

"Why being so defensive?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at him before gently taking Fuuko from Tokiya's hands. "I was just asking why she's asleep."

He watched as a flicker of emotion showed on Tokiya's eyes but it was gone as fast as it showed, making him think if he just imagine what he saw. Still, he held his gaze, refusing to back down from the silent confrontation between them.

Then, Tokiya closed his eyes and started walking past him, not saying another word.

"Mikagami." He called out to him, not bothering to turn around and look at him and just settled on staring at the far wall.

He heard him stop in his tracks, perhaps, not bothering to look at him too.

"I gave her up before. I'm not planning on doing it now." He spat out, each word, leaving his lips with so much firmness as if he would kill again just to make sure she stays his. "She's mine."

Silence followed but he still didn't hear the shuffling of his shoes above the carpeted floor. He waited for him to say something, making the tension around them grow stronger that one more false move and it would snap.

"You're being possessive." Tokiya's voice finally broke the silence and made the tension decrees a little.

Then he heard him walk away once again.

"I meant what I said." He continued, making the other man stop in his tracks once again. He's not going to let him walk away until he got the assurance that Tokiya will not interfere with their relationship.

But this time, he was answered by the footsteps slowly walking away until he heard the sound of the elevator across the hall. His breath hissed between his teeth as the seethed anger slowly rose from his chest. He was about to let go of the frustration by swearing but stopped and calmed himself instantly the moment he felt Fuuko snuggle closer to his chest.

Slowly, he looked down at his load, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest and the way her eyelids fanned her face in the most enchanting manner. He could feel all the tension leaving him just by looking at her face and watching her sleep soundly in his arms.

Making sure that he won't wake her up, he slowly made his way towards the room and laid her slowly on the canopied bed. He sat beside her before propping up his elbows on her pillow and soothing her soft cheeks with the back of his hand. He saw her sigh gently that made him almost smirk against the darkness of the room.

"Sleep now Fuuko…" he whispered to her as he lowered his face down and gave her a small peck on her temple.

He drew back slightly and watched her angelic face gently illuminated by the moonlight seeping form the curtains of her window.

"Call me selfish… but I'm not going to give you up again…" he continued whispering before lowering his head once more and kissing her softly on the lips. "I love you." he murmured against her lips before slowly hoisting himself up the bed.

He gave her sleeping form one last look before he headed towards the door and left her in her deep slumber.

* * *

well? like it? i hope so... really guys, keep the reviews coming! hehehe!

to all who reviewed the previous chapters and all the stories i posted, thank you so much... those really keep my spirits u in writing these fics!

by the way, could some of you guys explain to me the difference between stories written under alternative universe and alternative reality? or is there any difference at all?

i'm planning on writting another one shot fic and another fic... of course, it's tofuu... hehehe! tnx anyways!


	9. broken glass

a/n: well, i've been gone for too long so i decided to update! hehehe! really sorry taht the next instalment just came now... really ahd a hard time with school... but here it is so i hope you guys enjoy...

**

* * *

Chapter 8: Broken Glass**

The warm rays of the sun gently caressed her smooth cheeks, penetrating in between the curtain lines and bringing the warm tingling sensations that the morning rays seems to harbor.

She felt the warm rays of the sun on her room and this made her lazily stretch out on her bed and wake from the deep slumber she was having. She blinked for a few moments, taking in her surroundings before jerking upright when she noticed that she was in her hotel room.

Weird? Yes. After all, people freak out when they wake up and discover that they're not in their own room and not the other way around. However, the last thing that she remembered before dozing off last night was the scent of the ocean and the cold, damp night air soothing her smooth skin.

_Did he…?_

Just before her mind could even go any further, she noticed something else.

She was wearing a jacket, and not just any jacket. It was Tokiya's jacket. It was the very same jacket that shielded her when she was feeling cold last night.

Unconsciously, she fondled with the folds of the jacket as the events from last night flooded her mind.

Every word spoken and every tear she cried that night was clearly embedded in her mind, reminding her that someone had just seen right through her, someone that she had least expected to even notice. Yet, she doesn't feel any kind of resentment about what happened. She never thought about it before but it actually lightens up the load when someone knows that you're hiding yourself, your true feelings. Somehow, knowing that there's someone who could see right through you, you know that you can have someone to tell what you really feel. Such irony, indeed.

Slowly, she took in a deep breath, catching the scent that waffled from it. It smelled like the first streaks of sunshine in the morning bathing the dews that lingered on the plants from the cold air the night before and she can't help but smile, liking the scent that emanated from it.

"What are you smiling about so early in the morning?" a voice coming from the doorway of her room broke the silence and caused her thoughts to come to a complete stop.

"Good morning to you too, Kurei." She said sarcastically, a playful smile playing on her lips as she pulled herself off the bed and headed towards the curtains to open them and let the rays of the sun into her semi-lit room.

As soon as the curtains were fully secured at the sides, she opened the window and let the morning breeze caress her skin. Inhaling deeply, she let the scent of the sea engulf her senses and drown her as they blended perfectly with the morning breeze.

"Looks like today is going to be a great day for swimming, don't you think?" she asked, taking a backward glance at her companion in the room.

Instead of finding him smiling and teasing her like she thought he would, she saw him with his head bowed and seemed to be in deep thought. She can see traces of worry etched on his perfectly chiseled face, something that she wasn't use to seeing unless something about the company had upset him.

"Kurei," she finally said, disturbing him from his brief oblivion. "is something wrong?" she asked, turning around to face him.

She watched as he reluctantly met her gaze, his lips poised as if to speak but decided against it and closed it instead. She watched him as he lowered his head once again, something that he only do when he is struggling with his emotions and hiding his eyes from her in order to prevent her from seeing the flashes of emotions that he just couldn't control anymore.

"Kurei…" she implored worriedly, taking a step towards him. "Are you alright?"

Immediately, Kurei raised his head and looked at her, his eyes showing something that she hasn't seen before. They were… glassy… as if he was scared of something that might happen, something that he doesn't want to happen and it pinned her on her place, being quite unaccustomed to seeing him like that.

"No… I'm okay Fuuko." He said, a soft smile gracing his features but it didn't reach his eyes.

From her place, she looked at him, worry still etched on her porcelain face. Despite the smile that Kurei gave her, she still can't ignore the nagging feeling inside her that there was something that he wasn't telling her. Somehow, just by looking at him, she could tell that something is wrong. Also, the way he lowered his head awhile ago told her something else. aside from preventing her to see the flashes of emotions on his face, he also do that to hide from her what he really feels and replace it with a mask.

"You know, despite you being an ex-villain during the UBS, you're still not a very good liar Kurei." She said, turning around once again to face the window and pretending to focus all her attention to the scenery lay out before her very window.

"But there is really nothing to tell." She heard him say, poorly convincing her of something that she really is having a hard time to believe.

For the past years, they had been close and she was able to read his actions. The way he's acting right now tells her that he's just saying things so as not to worry her.

"Right. And I was in love with Domon before." She retorted, already loosing her cool.

Silence followed after that until she heard his footsteps heading closer to her. Before she could even turn around and demand that he tell her what's wrong, a pair of strong arms circled around her waist and pulled her gently against a strong, lean chest. She softly gasp at the contact and felt him place his chin on her shoulder.

"You really have nothing to worry about. It's just some minor problem in the company. Something I can't handle." She heard him whisper against her ear, his soft deep voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Are you sure?" she asked once she recovered from the sensation that his voice brought her. Gently, she grasped the arms wrapped around her waist for assurance.

She felt his arms tighten around her before hearing that masculine voice again against her ear.

"Yes." He whispered with so much assurance, so much truth, that she believed him.

She trusted his words so much that she just found herself leaning more unto him and pushing the matter at the back of her head. She heard the full assurance in his voice that she let the matter rest aside. She was so certain that he was telling that truth that she closed her eyes and let silence envelope them once again to cherish the moment they have together.

'Perfect' she thought, opening her eyes and looking at Kurei from the side of her eyes.

Slowly, she observed every contour of his face. He has his eyes closed, his lashes fanning over his smooth, flawless cheeks. There was a small smile on his lips, clearly telling her that he was enjoying the moment just as much as she do, maybe more than she do. She could feel his even breathing and the way it somehow, calms her at some point. With the way he was holding her so close, she could even feel the even beating of his heart against his chest.

'I should be happy with this, right?' she thought, closing her eyes and lowering her head a little to nuzzle closer to him. 'I should be happy with this.' She told herself, although she sounded like she was totally convincing herself about it.

Slowly, she took in a deep breath to clear her mind off things that mustn't worry about. However, when she did so, a strong, familiar scent filled her nostrils, making her stiffen for a second.

'Mi-chan…' she thought as her brain register that she was still wearing his jacket, which was reeking of his smell, and Kurei's face is too close to the said fabric that he could, without doubt, smell the musky scent of cologne that was Tokiya.

Immediately, she placed her hands on Kurei's arms and pried them away from her, leaving his embrace and the warm comfort of his body. She looked up and reluctantly met his questioning gaze.

"I have to get dressed and prepare for breakfast. I'm getting kind of hungry." She tried to explain, making up a false excuse to probably, prevent him from smelling the cologne lingering from the jacket.

For a few seconds, she was under the scrutinizing gaze of Kurei until such time that he shrugged his shoulders and turned around to leave and give her the privacy she would need to get herself dressed.

When Kurei was just a few steps from the door, it was only the time that she allowed herself to breathe out sigh of relief. When she heard the door open, she then walked towards the vanity mirror located beside her bed and decided to brush her hair before going to bath. Just as she was about to do so, she heard Kurei's footsteps stop for a moment, causing her to look at him.

She saw him poised at her doorway; his back facing her while his hand that he used to open the door still didn't leave the door knob. Just as she was about to ask him what's wrong, his deep baritone voice filled the room and spoke the words that she dreaded to come a while ago.

"That jacket looks warm." He stated monotonously, making her almost gasp as the words registered her mind. "You better return it to Mikagami though. It would be too warm during the day for you to use it anyway."

And with that, he stepped out of her room and gently closed the door behind him.

She stood there, looking blankly at the closed door as his words replayed in her head.

His voice…

It was so cold…

It was as if the one who was talking was Kurei as he is during the UBS.

His voice sounded so cold and devoid of emotion, yet the hidden fury he was feeling could be heard screaming from the words he just said and she didn't do anything but stand there and listen.

* * *

As soon as he heard the click of the door, he slowly opened his eyes, mirroring the emotions raging up inside him.

'Shit!' his mind screamed, as he gritted his teeth in anger and in frustration.

Unconsciously, his hand tightened on the cold metal knob of Fuuko's room, gripping it with so much force that the knob would have broke if only he didn't notice a hotel staff walking his way. Immediately, he let go of the knob and threw a last glance at the door separating him and Fuuko before walking towards his own quarters.

After a few minutes, he finally reached his own room and the moment he opened the door that would lead him inside, he noticed Neon and Joker seated in his mini bar and having a drink while, obviously, waiting for him.

"Hey, what's with the look?" Joker asked, studying his face and taking note every single detail shown on it. After all, it wasn't everyday that you'll see so many emotions mirrored on his chiseled face. "You look like you've just lost a half a million dollars to the casino downstairs." He teased him, ignoring the fact that Kurei's face clearly showed the 'don't mess with me' look.

Instead of returning the jest, Kurei walked silently towards them, his face still with the same expression that he had when he left Fuuko's room, and got himself a glass of hard drink. Swiftly, he finished the glass in one gulp before pouring himself another glass and walking towards the window to stare at nothing in particular outside.

His grip tightened on the glass he was holding, so tight that the glass was almost at the verge of breaking in his hand. Yet he didn't seem to mind, he didn't even seem to notice that. His mind was locked on the idea that Tokiya spent the rest of the night with Fuuko and that she has his jacket for some reason that he doesn't know. Yes, possessive and unreasonable, probably, but he wouldn't let anyone, including Tokiya to get too close with Fuuko and have the opportunity to steal her away from him.

'Too long. I've waited for too long for her to be mine.' His mind kept on repeating as he emptied his glass once again before staring out, or rather, glaring out at the view lay out before his window.

"Kurei-sama." He heard Neon's voice a few steps away from where he was standing. "Are you alright? You seem rather angry about something."

He didn't answer, rather, he didn't want to answer because he knows that once he did, he would end up showing them too much of how deep Fuuko had got him. Yes. It was so deep that Kurei was willing to go back to being the villain that he was just to make sure that Fuuko stays by his side and that no one would even dare think of taking her away from him. The only thing that was keeping him from doing so is Fuuko, herself, knowing that the girl will hate him and gladly leave his side, or worst, she would volunteer to kill him right then and there for wasting the chance that they all gave him and his comrades.

'Damn emotions. I should have known that fixing everything and turning into a new leap would mean that I would be overpowered by such emotions. If I did, I would have stayed hidden from the world and let them think I died during the stupid tournament.' He thought, tightening his grip on the, already fragile glass.

"Kurei-sama, is there something wrong? Please, tell us and let us help you. Tell us what this is all about and probably we could—"

Neon's words didn't register in his mind, nor did he become aware that his grip was tightening too much on the glass he was holding. The next thing that he became aware about is that the glass he was holding a while ago was now shattered into little fragments in his hand and some on the carpeted floor.

"Kurei-sama!" Neon was the very first to react, quickly grabbing his hand and wiping the blood that was now starting to flow from the cuts that the glass fragments made on his delicate hands.

"What the hell are you thinking!" Joker asked, looking around the room for something that they could use to wrap his hands with.

"Get out." He said coldly, harshly withdrawing his hands from Neon's grip and clutching it on his side.

He turned his head at the other direction, not wanting them to see the raging emotions deep within him. Also, he doesn't want them to see something else. he doesn't want them to see just how much he now care for Fuuko and how much jealousy and rage he was feeling just by the mere fact that he knew that Fuuko and Tokiya spent some time together last night. He doesn't want them to see just how much he had let himself be weakened by such emotions and how much he was letting it happen without much of a sign of preventing it. He doesn't want them to see how he was blinded and weakened by jealousy and how he was angered by it at the same time. No. He can't let them see that.

"But Kurei-sama, your wounds, let me treat them." he heard Neon's plea and felt his injured hands being taken into hers and dabbed with some clothing that he didn't know as to where it came from.

He should feel grateful by her actions. The moment he made clear to her that all he can see in her is a sister, the girl still didn't hesitated to show him the care that she had still given him before. Although, only this time, he is sure that it was the care that a sister would have for her brother, knowing just how much the girl's feelings for his other comrade goes.

However, this time, he couldn't feel any appreciation for the act that she was showing him, instead, the act only made him even more furious that he was before.

"Get out!" he shouted at the girl before him, his eyes burning with fury. "Which part of 'get out' can't you understand!"

He watched as Neon's eyes widen in surprise from the sudden outburst. He watched as her lips quivered and opened to say something, but nothing came. He watched as she slowly lowered her head and bowed before leaving the room silently.

He turned around and faced the window once again, not wanting to see the things that his emotions were making him do to those people that he knew cared for him the most. No matter how much he wanted to control the emotions, it just ends up bursting and making him lose his cool like that. The emotions that he was feeling was so intense, he just couldn't hold them back anymore the way he did last night when he confronted Tokiya outside Fuuko's room.

"You know," he heard Joker's familiar voice behind him. "I should give you a piece of my mind for doing that to Neon. That was very rude."

He could hear the anger in Joker's voice despite the calm way he stated every word directed to him. He can't blame him, though. He knows that what he just did was really rude but he wasn't able to hold back the emotions anymore and ended up lashing it out on the girl.

"What the hell is your problem anyway?" he heard the couch rustling, signaling that Joker had taken a seat and clearly implying that he wouldn't leave until he gave him some answers.

"I thought I told you to get out." He hissed, not daring to turn around unless he wanted Joker to have a good look of the emotions clearly shown on his, once, expressionless face.

"Let me guess, then, since you seem to be too intent on keeping the information to yourself. Does our little wind goddess have something to do with the way you're acting now?"

'Damn' he cursed to himself. 'This guy knows me too much'

"So what did she do now that gets you so pissed?"

He clenched his jaw, contemplating on whether he would tell Joker or just maintain his silence.

"She was with Tokiya last night." he heard himself say, the need to tell someone what was bothering him winning over his pride.

"And it pissed you off because?" Joker's voice seems to be so calm and didn't even seem surprised that the two were together last night.

"They were together and she has his jacket on this morning when I came to her room." he growled angrily, marching towards the mini bar to get another round of hard drink.

There was silence and when he looked at the place where Joker was seated, he saw him looking at him with a malicious glint on his eyes.

"What?" He asked when he was not able to take the look Joker was giving him. Let's just say he was used to be the one giving that look and not the recipient of the look.

"You're being too possessive, Kurei-sama. They are friends, although not in the usual sense of the word, but still, they are former allies during the UBS. It would only be normal to see them together and Tokiya, being the gentleman that he is, would only give his jacket to Fuuko since it is cold during the night." Joker reasoned out as if it was one universal fact that everybody knows about.

"Still… there's something… I just can't put a name to it." he stated, looking at the glass in his hands.

"You're being too paranoid."

"Do you think I would want to lose her again to someone who doesn't deserve her?"

From what he said, Joker gave him a look that could only be described as pure rage.

"Does that mean that Raiha doesn't deserve her?" with that, Joker stood from his seat and headed towards the door. "Jealousy and anger is blinding your reasoning, Kurei. Think of what you just said and I hope you realize that you just insulted Raiha's memory."

He refused to look at Joker even after he heard the door click shut, signaling him that he had already left. It was only after a few minutes of pondering did he realize what he just said and caused him to hurl the glass he was holding right on the wall beside him.

* * *

He looked up from the book he was reading and studied his surroundings once again. Despite being alone and the fact that he would probably look like an idiot, he can't help but smile at the surroundings laid out before him. He was at the café located just near the beach. He chose to sit at one of the chairs located at the open and enjoy the breeze from the sea. It was relaxing together with the book the he was reading.

Silently, he went back to reading his book. He wasn't even through reading the paragraph he just started when he felt her presence behind him.

"Hey." He heard her familiar voice, joining perfectly with the symphony that his surroundings were creating.

He found himself smiling despite the fact that she just disturbed his relaxing time. When he heard her footsteps coming nearer, he quickly hid the smile and pretended to be engrossed with the book he has in his hand.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw her sit on the chair adjacent to where he was sitting and placed a small paper bag on the table, where his coffee and blueberry muffins were also placed.

"Hope I didn't disturbed you for coming here." She started, sounding quite unsure of what she just said. "Are you busy, or something?"

He almost smiled when her next statement confirmed his assessment. Slowly, he lowered the book he was holding and looked at her.

"No." he stated just before his mind wandered back last night and the conversation they had.

Right here, right now, he could see Fuuko's emotions. She looked confused, uncertain, even, for some unknown reason that he was unconsciously hoping that she would tell him. Although it was the kind of emotions he was seeing, he was quite relieved that he was letting her see her and not some mask that she put up once again.

"I came here to return this." She stated, shoving the paper bag towards him.

"And that is?" he questioned, eyeing the paper bag, which was now only a few inches from his coffee.

"It's your jacket. From last night."

He looked at her, studying her face and watching the play of emotions laid out for him to watch. Somehow, he could feel that Kurei has something to do with the way she was feeling so nervous and confused. He was about to ask her why she was acting that way but held him self and decided to let her tell him instead, in her own time and in her own liking.

"Keep it." he just said, taking his spoon and bringing a piece of muffin in his mouth.

"What?" He heard the surprise in her voice and he smirked at that.

Looking back at her, he shoved the paper bag back to her and said lazily, "I said keep it. It would be too cold during the nights and I want you to keep it."

"But I have my own jacket. I just happen to leave the room without it last night." she reasoned, shoving the paper bag back to him.

"Just keep it. Return it to me some other day, perhaps when we get back to the city." He said, taking his cup of coffee and taking a sip from it.

"But—"

"Keep it, Fuuko." He firmly stated, not wanting anymore objections coming from her.

She must have given up the fight for Tokiya didn't hear anything else that has something to do with his jacket. Instead, he felt her relax against the chair she was sitting on and rest her head on the back of the chair.

He looked at her, watched her face, her eyes closed and seems to be relaxing and enjoying the moment that she was having. His gaze went towards the rosy curve of her lips, slightly ajar and looking so inviting that if he wasn't trained to control himself before, he would have stood from his seat and captured the softness and sweetness that her lips seems to offer.

Reluctantly, he tore his gaze from her face, not wanting to dwell so much in her beauty and end up hurting himself much more than he was hurting now. Yes. He was hurting. Ever since he had admitted to himself how much he had fallen for her, he learned to acknowledge the pain he is also feeling because of his emotions for her.

"By the way," he suddenly heard her say, bringing his attention back to her. "Thanks for last night. I never thought how much I needed to release the emotions I had been keeping for years until last night."

"No problem." He said, tearing his gaze from her face once again.

Silence followed again after that. All they could hear was the crashing of the waves upon the shore and the light murmurs of the other occupants of the café. It was wasn't before long that he heard Fuuko's chair sliding against the rough concrete and bringing his attention back to her.

"Well," she said, picking up the paper bag from the table and holding it on her left hand. "I should get going now. Kurei's waiting for me at the restaurant."

'Oh yeah. Kurei.' He thought, mentally slapping himself for forgetting that she was off limits, just like she was before when she still have Raiha.

Instead of answering, he lowered his head and fixed his gaze on the coffee before him. "Yeah. Sure." He said, taking the cup of coffee and taking a drink from it.

"I'll see you later, during lunch." And then she was gone and he was once again alone with his book and his coffee.

He looked back to where Fuuko had went off to and he couldn't help but think what Kurei had done to her that made her act that way. She was confused, he could see that, but about what.

He was only alone for a few minutes until he felt another presence behind him, a presence that he had already became used to.

"Kagero." He stated and just before the name of the immortal woman could pass his lips, she was already taking a seat on the chair that Fuuko was sitting on a while ago.

"She had you really deep now, doesn't she?" he heard her question.

He had thought of not answering and ignoring the woman's words but she was the only one that knows up to what extent his feelings went for the wind goddess.

"Yeah." He answered, admitting for the first time his real feelings towards Fuuko. "Deeper than I thought I would be."

"I always knew you felt something for her."

He looked at the immortal woman, an eyebrow raised; silently asking her a question that only the immortal woman would answer.

"During his funeral, I saw you." she stated, giving him a look that only tells him that she knew something that he doesn't, or rather, he doesn't want anybody to know. "You were standing there at a distance, looking at her."

'Damn! It was her presence that I felt!"

True enough, Tokiya was there at Raiha's funeral. He didn't intend to come, really, but when he did, he saw her, under the rain, her shoulder racking with uncontrollable sobs. He wanted to go to her but the image that she just presented him made him rooted to his spot. It was as if he was watching a goddess weep for a love that she had lost and she wouldn't let anybody near her. Knowing that he couldn't do anything to help her, he decided to leave, let her heal herself. She was a strong girl and he could handle that.

Or so he thought. The next thing he knew, he was being called by Yanagi to go to her house because Fuuko was burning with fever. He was quite surprised, really, to hear that the former Fuujin wielder was at her most vulnerable state. But the surprised never ended there. The next thing that happened was that Fuuko was telling them that she was going away.

She was a strong girl. She could heal her wounds in no time. She was tough and she could handle everything.

And that's where everyone is wrong, because apparently, the girl was weak and he just saw her in her vulnerable state more than once.

"Why didn't you go and comfort her that time?" she asked him, her voice, breaking the line of thoughts that was going on in his head.

"Because I have no comfort to give her." and with that, he pulled money out of his pocket and placed it on the table, leaving the immortal woman alone.

"But she seeks your comfort, even though she still doesn't know that." was the last thing that he heard from the immortal woman before he dragged himself towards the hotel entrance.

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well... what do you think of this chapter? know you wanted some things explained so here it is:

first, sorry for the lousy part with Kurei... stupid writer's block!

next, the one with Tokiya, it was on the first chapter, the last part. it was his 'shadow' right there watching Fuuko... hmmm...

just please read and review! and i'll try to explain some things that seems to be not clear to you guys...

please be kind and review!

and by the way, should Fuuko be with Tokiya or Kurei? what do you think?


	10. revelations

well... how long has it been??? hehehe!!! sorry guys for uploading jsut now... school work really gets in the way sometimes... and my writer's block... really sorry guys...

well, here's the next chapter... i hope it doesn't sound as sloppy as i thought it was... since i tried to write this after my writer's block, i hope i still did justice to the story... still, read and review, ok??? hope you enjoy the story!!!**

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Chapter 10:

He watched as she gracefully walked into the sliding doors of the restaurant located at the first floor of the hotel they were staying in. Seeing her walking towards him, he couldn't help but think how perfect she is and how much he wanted to meet her halfway and pull her into a tight hug and never let go.

"Kurei…" he heard her greet him softly as a soft smile graced the features of her face.

However, he didn't fail to notice that the smile she offered him was slightly forged, almost as if she was willing herself to smile, as if it was her duty to smile at him.

_Is it because of me, Fuuko? Am I… hurting you… without even noticing it?_

As the thought crossed his mind, he can't help the slight stab of pain rip through his chest just by the mere thought of causing her to feel this way.

"Are you alright?" he heard her soft whisper once again, this time accompanied by the soft touch of her hand on his elbow.

Immediately, he forced the thoughts and the stab of pain in chest away from his consciousness to focus on the beauty standing in all her splendor glory beside him.

"I'm alright." He said, taking her hand in his and holding it tightly, unconsciously telling her not to worry. "I was just thinking about some… business matters."

"You shouldn't worry too much, you know. It's not good for you." she said once again. "Besides, aren't we here to relax and have fun? Set aside those business matters and have fun once in awhile."

He just smiled at her and brushed away a few strands of hair for her forehead. It was then that he realized that she was holding a paper bag with a very familiar jacket inside. Hiding his anger and jealousy, he took a step away from her and looked at the paper bag in her hand.

"Mikagami's jacket, I presume?" he asked, hoping that he didn't sound too bitter and angry to her.

He saw the soft smile on her face falter slowly before she tore her eyes from his and found the red carpet beneath them more interesting than his question.

"I gave it back to him this morning." He heard her mutter almost inaudibly under her breath.

"Then why do you still have it?" he asked, fighting down the surge of jealousy creeping inside him.

"He… told me to keep it for a while."

_What for?_

He wanted to ask but fought down the urge to do so, thinking that by asking, he might just cause her spirit to dampen more than it already is.

"I see…" he said instead, pulling her closer into a warm embrace just so she wouldn't see the flicker of jealousy in his eyes rising up into an untamed flame.

Yet, he fought hard to fight down the feeling, thinking that a jealous boyfriend for only just a day is what she needed right now.

_One day…_

He repeated in his mind, reminding him how long she belonged to him already. A day, twenty-four hours, maybe even less, and he's not planning on stopping there. No. If he could, hell, he wanted her to belong to him forever. No. He would make sure that she will belong to him forever, no matter what it takes. Even if it means stooping so low that he would have to be her servant. Then, he would make sure that she'll see just how much he would be willing to give just to make her feel the same way.

* * *

Looking from a distance, he reluctantly diverted his gaze from the embracing couple a few yards away to the calm vast of blue laid out also a few yards from him.

It had always been like this. The same scenario kept on repeating over and over again before his very eyes. Only on those scenarios, she was the only person that remained constant while the guy holding her so close seems to have changed as time passes by.

Before, it was with Raiha. Now, she's in the arms of Kurei, mocking him and slapping onto his face yet another fact, another constant thing with these kinds of scenarios: that he would always be a few yards away… watching… just watching… and never having the chance to be in the scenario with her.

"Mikagami-sempai…" a soft voice lulled him out of his reverie as he turned around to meet the owner of the voice.

"Are you alright?" he heard her ask once more as he traced her feature which was etched with worry.

"I'm alright, Yanagi. I was just thinking about something." He replied as he gave her a gentle smile so as not to worry her some more.

Because of the unexplainable resemblance between the healer and his sister, seeing her like this was like seeing his sister worrying about his welfare.

"Are you not enjoying our vacation?" she asked once more.

"Why do you ask that?" his brows furrowed, thinking that she might have seen right through him.

"I just find it rather odd that you're so silent yesterday and this morning."

He chuckled at the statement she said, not because he was mocking her or something but because she seems to have forgotten one single fact.

"I'm always silent, Yanagi." He reminded her, giving her a polite smile when she saw her flush at his statement.

"Anou… I know that, Mikagami-sempai… Demo, you were never silent with her…" she whispered just loud enough for him to hear as she fumbles with her fingers.

This time, his brows furrowed even more.

"Her? Who's her?" he questioned, completely clueless of what the former healer was talking about.

"Fuuko." She said as if it was one of the common facts that revolve around the earth. "You were never silent when she's around so I thought that it's rather odd that now she's here, you're so quiet and all."

The furrow on his brows vanished as a look of melancholy took over his features. Immediately, he faced the other way to hide that look from the oblivious girl beside him.

"Mikagami?" he heard her concerned voice when he didn't say anything.

"It was never like that." He said, denying the fact that the purple haired enchantress indeed managed to pull out some emotions from him and get him to talk in just one day more than he had ever talk in a year before he met them.

"You know," her voice filled his ears once again but he refused to look at her, afraid that she might see, that she might know and she might pity him for being such an idiot and letting her be happy in another guy's arms. "we never ceased to wonder why you keep on hiding your feelings."

With utter shock and bewilderment, he turned his face to her, mouth slightly ajar and eyes slightly wide from what he just heard.

_Am I that visible?_

He can't help but wonder as he continued to gape at the innocent looking girl, who continued speaking beside him.

"We kept on wondering why you just let her be happy with another man while you could make her happy, yourself. We kept on asking ourselves why you torture yourself by watching her from a distance and never attempting to watch her from somewhere near, beside her, maybe. We can't help but wonder why you shut yourself from her when you're the best thing that could happen to her."

The words flowing from her lips seem to have him rooted on the ground as he listens to the revelation coming from her.

They have known all along. Hell, they might have known it much longer than he did, even during the UBS maybe, when he was so oblivious of his feelings to her. And here he is, listening to Yanagi telling him that they have known all along the feelings that he had no idea existed and he kept on denying to him self until just recently.

"How…?" he managed to say but failed to continue as he racked his brains for the right words to say.

"Somehow we knew. Maybe because you're so different when she's around or maybe it's because she could make you smile more than Recca could easily irritate you. I don't know. But somehow, we knew, Mikagami-sempai."

"Recca and Domon must think that I'm such an idiot. Hell, they're probably laughing behind my back now for being a genius and yet an idiot when it comes to these things." He said as he bowed his head while an image of a laughing Recca and Domon flashed in his mind.

"Recca and Domon would never do that, no matter how childish they are. In fact, both of them admire you for being so brave and for loving her so much that you would let her be happy in another's arms."

Then, he felt a gentle hand on his arms and he looked up to see the healer smiling affectionately beside him, resembling more and more his sister.

"She has to know. Somehow, she has to know. You have to tell her." she said before slowly withdrawing her hand and started walking away towards Recca standing a few feet from them.

"Domon called." Recca stated, giving him a knowing smile. "He said he'll be back next week and said that he'll make sure to wrestle some sense into you."

He smiled upon hearing his statement, a feeling so foreign invading him from the inside.

_So… this is how it feels to have friends… real friends…_

He thought before following them inside the restaurant where the rest are waiting for him for lunch.

* * *

She was once again surrounded by happy faces, heart-felt laughter and humor stories that her friends around the table kept on telling each other. Each one seems to have lots to tell and never running out of stories to share, be it embarrassing or funny. Everyone seems to be so blissful, a complete contrast to what she was actually feeling and trying to hide from them.

Amidst the laughter, funny stories and heart-felt smiles was her, hiding behind her mask once again and making everybody think that she was just as happy as they are, that, she has lots of funny stories to share like they do.

"Fuuko…" a soft whisper from her right side brought her out of her forged laughter.

Slowly, she turned towards the owner of the voice only to be met by a pair of baby blue eyes staring seriously at her own dark blue pools.

"Are you alright?" Tokiya asked her in a voice that could almost be considered as a whisper.

"Yeah… why do you ask?" she said in a soft voice, so soft that their conversation remained unnoticed by the other members around their table eating lunch with them. Even Kurei, who was sitting just to her left, seems to have focused his attention so much on what Recca was saying that he didn't even notice the hushed words exchanged between the two.

She waited for him to answer but he just remained there, sitting and staring at her, his eyes boring into hers. At the back of her head, she knew that he was reading her very soul, yet, no matter how much she tells her brain to look away, her eyes seems to have been glued on those baby blue pools staring straight back at her.

"Nothing." he just said, closing his eyes and returning to his food once again.

Just when she thought he already dismissed the topic, she heard his voice once again, stopping her from her laughter.

"Don't laugh if you don't feel like it. You may be able to deceive them but you laughter could never deceive me."

Shocked from what she heard, she stared at him, mouth slightly agape and mind turned blank. Somehow, for some reason, he always manages to see right through her. And somehow, she can't seem to deny that fact to him, knowing full well that it would be a futile attempt. He always knew. He never misses anything.

"I'm not deceiving them. I just don't want them to worry." She whispered back when he was able to recover from her shock.

"I'm worried. Does that count?" he said, turning to her once again so as to make it look like a casual conversation between the two of them.

"You never worry. It's never in your nature to worry."

"Surprisingly, when it comes to you, I do worry. I could see right through you, after all."

Unconsciously, his statement suddenly made her heart beat faster than usual and she can't seem to fight the faint blush creeping up to her cheeks as the words registered in her mind.

_Could it be?_

_Could it be him after all this time… and I was just too dense to realize?_

_No… he doesn't feel that way… must be my imagination…_

Pushing the thoughts out of her mind, she turned to him and gave him the assurance she knew he's asking for, even without voicing out his thoughts.

"I'll be fine. In time, I'll be able to… deal with the pain someday."

She was about to say the word forget but thought against it, remembering last night when he told her that all she has to do is to learn to deal with the pain of losing someone.

"Besides," she continued. "I already have someone. He'll help me through this, just like you. After all, you did promise to help me."

She saw him nod before going back to his food, although she can't help but wonder why his eyes seems to reflect a hint of pain from what she said. Before going back to her own food, she stared at him from the corner of her eyes, searching for that hint of pain just to make sure it was what she really saw. However, he just sat there beside her, wearing his stoic façade and making her think that it might had just been her imagination playing tricks on her once again.

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thanks to those who still reviewed this story no matter how long it takes me to update: Snow Charms, windy-goddess, Jomai, kate (yes, i'm from teh philippines... how did you know??? Filipino intuition?? hehehe!!!), obsessed dreamer, Mia Fitzpatrick, Shenhui, anon... promise to make it up to you guys this time... 


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